Second Generation Prophecy
by rokerbaby93087
Summary: Note: sequel to "Snap Back to Reality". Please read and review.
1. Meeting

Notes: Another new one! (yey!) So, if you missed the last two episodes of my oddly fantastic story - Harry killed Voldemort, Bellatrix is convinced she has some way to bring him back, yada yada yada... So this is about 19 years since my last story, if I did the math right. Enjoy kiddies!

* * *

A dark house sat alone on a road. Inside, one light burned. There was a knock at the door. A small man with dark hair answered. "Yes, Petty and Barton. You are a bit early."

A tall, dark,powerful looking man entered, followed by a smaller woman. "There's no point in waiting. Better get the information out while we can," the man said, entering.

"Yes, Mr. Petty. And Ms. Barton." The woman entered as well. The three of them sat at a table with the light in the middle.

"So, what news?"Petty said, anxious to get the information.

"Bellatrix is convinced that she's found a way," the small man said.

"Yes, we know that," Barton said. "But what way is it? I'm sure she's explained it to you."

"She's found a spell, something just recently invented. Similar to the one they used to bring him back before. You know, the right hand of the servant and blood of the enemy, all that. But they need other blood this time."

"Interesting," Petty said. "Where'd she find it?"

"I'm not sure. In a book."

"It's a published spell?" Barton asked.

"No - I believe the book is just a list of spells, never meant to get out."

"Oh, I see."

"Who's blood?" Petty asked.

"That's what she has yet to tell us. It will be a very important mission though. Obviously it is a very difficult person to get at."

"Blood of the enemy..." Petty thought out loud. "It would have to be something from the enemy still, just in a different form."

"Yes, most likely," Barton said.

There was another knock at the door. The small man looked at both of them. No one else was supposed to be invited to the party... He got up slowly and went to the door, peeking out. A man and a woman stood outside. "Who are you?"

"Petty and Barton, you stupid piece of..." Petty barged in the door and looked at the two sitting at the table. Everyone was obviously confused.

The woman at the table stood up quickly and whipped out her wand. "Petrificus totalus!" she bellowed. The small man fell over. The man at the table stood up as well and shouted "Stupefy!", managing to hit both of the others at once. The two of them walked to the door, signaling to the others to come closer. A group of aurors came to get the three death eaters.

"Two in one," the woman said, "Good shot." In better light her hair looked more curly and frizzy.

"You weren't too bad yourself, 'Barton'." The two of them walked away to apparate. It was very late at night, or very early in the morning. Harry yawned. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Oh, come on. You're still young in wizard years. Plus, I'm older than you, so if you're old..."

"Yeah, okay. They had to pick tonight to do this, when we have to wake up early the next morning."

"Concider yourself lucky to be able to sleep in any day. I'm up at five AM every day."

"You picked a winner with Ronnykins." Hermione shoved him lightly. "You know it's true."

"We should get home and get some sleep, while we can, or we'll both be zombies tomorrow in Diagon Alley."

"Yep, see you in a few hours." They both apparated to their own houses.


	2. Breakfast in the Potter House

Notes: Did I lose you? Hello? ... Anywho, I wanted to let you know that this story is both in Harry's point of view and in his son James'. You'll know when they change. The first few will just be Harry, then once we get to Hogwarts it'll be more James.

* * *

"Daddy... Daddy? DaddyDaddyDaddy! Daaaaadyyyyyy!" Harry felt two little hands on his arm. "Daddy!" 

"Mmm?"

"Wake up daddy!"

Harry rolled over and opened his eyes. A little girl with bright red hair and green eyes looked down at him. "Why?"

She continued, taking breaths inbetween every other word as small children do when they get excited: "Because... mommy said... you have to... get up or... we can't go... to Diagon Alley! So wake up!"

"Okay, okay... go tell mommy I'm coming." The little girl ran off, and Harry rolled back onto his side. He had just gotten home a few hours ago and was still tired. He got up slowly and headed downstairs. Everything in his body cracked.

Ginny was watching something on the stove. Harry came up behind her and put his arms around her. "Watch yourself," she said. "You'll get burnt. Or worse, I'll get burnt."

Harry let her go and sat at the table. "Next time, use an alarm instead."

"Oh but Lily has so much fun. Why would I deprive her of that?" She seemed to notice how tired he looked. "You okay? You don't have to go, if you're too tired. I know you were out late and they'd understand if you -"

"No. I said I was going and I'm going. I don't know if I'll make it the whole way, but I'm going."

Ginny went to the door into the living room. "Come on you three." Then she went back to the stove, flicking her wand at the cupboard. Seven plates and silverware sets came out and set themselves. Cups floated above the table while they were filled by the passing juice carton. Ginny handed Harry some tea.

"And to think not too long ago this would have been very odd to me," Harry said, watching the floating cups.

"You should have seen my mum try to do it with Fred and George."

The little girl from before, Lily, came skipping into the room. She was their youngest and named so because she looked exactly like Harry's mother. In fact, all of their children had some name in their name that was someone Harry knew. Lily Molly Potter, a combination of two mothers, which Mrs. Weasley was extremely excited about. She sat in a chair with books stacked on it so that she could reach the table. She had recently been promoted to a regular chair and was very proud of herself.

After her came a small boy with the same red hair. This was Sirius, three years older than Lily and extremely hyperactive. He sprinted into his chair and bounced, chanting "pancakes pancakes pancakes pancakes pancakes pancakes pancakes..." When Ginny gave him his pancakes, he shouted "Yey! Pancakes!" then continued bouncing while eating. Harry shook his head.

Behind him came another red haired boy. This one was slower but still hyper. He was Michael, ten years old and the next up for Hogwarts.

Ginny went to the stairs. "Angie! Come on. And tell your brother to get down here or I'll come up there and throw him down here."

"You wonder why our children are psychotic," Harry mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Harry said quickly. Mike laughed. Sirius and Lily didn't get it but laughed anyway. Angie, Angelica, came down stairs quickly. She was going to Hogwarts this year for the first time. She was eleven, almost exactly one year older than Mike. Their middle names were Hermione and Ron, because the two elder persons with the same names refused to have children named after them.Angie was already dressed and ready, obviously anxious to go.They had decided long ago that only those children that were going to Hogwarts got to go to Diagon Alley on that day, and whoever was left had to stay home. Usually their grandmother didn't mind taking them. Ron and Hermione did the same thing.

Finally, when nearly everyone was finished, a very tired looking teenage boy appeared. This was James, their oldest and the only one with Harry's black hair. He was usually slow like that, a drastic contrast from his younger brother Sirius. Harry could only hope that Sirius would slow down as well in a few years. Everyone wondered why only one of their children was not a red-head. Harry figured it was because his mother had red hair, so they had a 3/4 chance of getting red.

"And when did you go to bed last night?" Ginny asked James, reminding Harry a lot of Mrs. Weasley.

"Ten."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You always did sleep a lot," she said shaking her head. "We thought for a while there was -" Just then, Sirius flashed through the room. "Sirius Remus Potter! You slow yourself down or -" she went after him, leaving Harry and James alone at the table.

"Ten?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Ten after three."

* * *

Sirius went running through the hallway with underwear on his head. Harry grabbed him around the waist and threw him back into his room. "Those belong on the other end," he told Sirius, and closed the door. He suddenly felt very bad for Mike, who had to share a room with him. Angie was dressing Lily, James had locked himself in his room and probably gone back to sleep, Ginny was wrangling Sirius while trying to help Mike... Harry didn't know how Mrs. Weasley had done it with seven kids. He went into his own room to change. Ginny came in and threw Sirius in. 

"Watch him," she barked. "I'm getting a shower." And she left. Sirius sat on the floor with a big smile on his face.

"You need to calm down, or your mother might murder you."

"Okay," Sirius said quickly.

"I mean it."

"Okay."

"I'll make Angie kiss you," Harry said. Sirius was at that age where he thought girls had some disease, even his sisters.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Nooooo!"

"Then be still and quiet until we get to your grandmothers. Okay?" Sirius stayed still, looking like a balloon that would burst at any second. It lasted for about five minutes.

"I can't!" Sirius said.

"Angie!" Harry called.

"No!"

"I have something I need you to do."

"No! Anything but that! No!"

"Then shush." Ginny came back from her shower (she had trained herself to do it in five seconds) and saw the silent Sirius.

"What'd you do? Tranquilize him?"

"No - never underestimate the power of a female."

Ginny laughed, understanding what he meant. "Sirius, go downstairs and don't get yourself dirty." Sirius got up and looked to his father. Harry raised his eyebrows, as a sort of reminder of the punishment. Sirius sprinted off. "Too bad we can't still threaten James with that."

"We could say we'd get some large hairy man to kiss him."

"Harry!"

"It would work."

"You are the reason our children are psychotic," she said, throwing her towel at him, "not me." There was a loug bang from downstairs. "Sirius!"

"It wasn't me!" Ginny went off to investigate. Harry shook his head again. When did I sign up for this? he thought. But life would be boring without them.

* * *

Ginny had taken Sirius and Lily with her by floo powder to the Burrow. They were still too young to do it themselves, plus Sirius would probably end up in Australia. Remus went himself, followed by Angie. James came stumbling down the stairs at the last second. "Better get going," Harry told him.

"Aren't you coming?"

"It'd rather apparate. I don't get lost as often that way."

"Could I, uh, go with you?"

"You really want to?"

"Yeah. I had some sixth year friends last year that said it was neat."

"Alright then," Harry said, leaving the house and heading for the patch of trees down the road. They couldn't apparate from the house because of the protection, and not in the street because of nearby muggles. "We have to go down there so no one sees us." James followed him.

"Um, dad? Could I ask you something?"

"Obviously."

"Well, I was thinking of trying out for the quidditch team this year. I would have last year but they didn't need anyone."

"And you want a broom," Harry said, already knowing where the conversation was going.

"Well, yeah."

"Brooms are very expensive James."

"I don't have to get a good one."

"Oh no, you will have a good one. No son of mine will be defiling the Potter record with a bad broom," Harry joked.

"Record?" They arrived at the trees.

"Take a look in the trophy room at school." He grabbed his son's hand. "Hold on tight."

* * *

Notes: Just wait until you see Hermione/Ron's children... 


	3. Diagon Alley

Notes: I know that was confusing with all the names, especially since I did them in reverse order. So, here are all of Harry and Ginny's kids, in the right order: James, Angie, Mike, Sirius, Lily. You only really need to worry about the first two from now on.

Reminder: There are HBP spoilers in this story!

* * *

"Woah," James said. They had just landed by the Burrow. 

"Not my favorite mode of transportation," Harry said, walking inside, "but it's better than ending up in the wrong fireplace." Ginny and the others were waiting for them.

"Nice of you to join us," Ginny said, looking a bit annoyed.

"He wanted to try it."

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley came running into the room. "Oh, there you are!" she hugged him, then moved onto James. "And there's one of my favorite grandsons! Go in the other room, with the rest of them. They're almost ready to leave."

Harry snuck away. In the other room there were more children than Harry had ever seen at the Burrow. All of his (minus James, who was still in the other room), Ron and Hermione's four boys, and most of Bill and Fleur's children. They (Bill and Fleur) had by far beaten the others in the number of children they had - eight. The oldest were in their second year of ministry school, the youngest in his fifth year at a French school. They lived in France, except for the ones in ministry school, who stayed with their grandparents so they could attend the English version. The other six were there for a visit.

Hermione didn't look tired at all. Harry wondered how she did it. He was about ready to fall over himself. He could spot her four boys. The two older had bright red hair, the third had light brown curly hair, and the fourth had reddish brown hair. Funny how you can always find them by their hair, Harry thought. The oldest was a year above James, the youngest going in next year. James came in and joined his older male cousins.

"You okay?" Ron asked, coming up behind Harry.

"Mmmhmm. I got woken up early," he said, watching Lily run around.

"You'll miss it when they're all in school."

Hermione came up to them. "Come on. We should get going." Ginny went to tell her mother that they were leaving. "Anyone who's not going, get away from the fireplace," Hermione said, shooing the others away. Mike, Sirius, Lily, Ron and Hermione's youngest son Tom, and all of Bill and Fleur's children flocked upstairs.

All the children and the women flooed away quickly. It was a lot easier without small children. Harry and Ron were last. The whole lot of them landed in Diagon Alley.

* * *

Because everyone except Angie had been there at least once, the shopping went quickly. Ginny stayed with her daughter, taking her to the robes shop and such. Ron, Harry, and Hermione took the boys to get their books and quills, then went wandering around. 

There was an old lady selling sweets on the street. "Can I?" James asked Harry.

"Go for it. Get some for your siblings, so they can't say I never bring them anything." Harry walked over with him to pay the lady. She looked very familiar... "Professor Sprout?"

"What? Oh! Harry! No need to call me that. I'm no longer a professor. Retired last year. There comes a point when you just need to move on and try something new."

"Did they get a new professor?" James asked.

"Yes, I believe. Someone younger, at least. They've been having trouble keeping professors. I was supposed to leave long ago, but the headmistress just couldn't find anyone else to take the job. You enjoy those sweets now."

James wandered away with his cousins. "Harry! Harry!" Ron called. "Come see this!"

Harry went. Ron was in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies. "What is it?"

"Look." Ron pointed in the desplay window. The broom looked familiar. Harry went inside to get a closer look. Yes, that's what it was: an original Nimbus 2000. "Wonder where they found that." Harry shrugged.

"Wow," James whispered. Harry hadn't noticed he was there. "Now that is a good broom."

"Yeah, it is." Harry agreed, walking away.

"As long as you don't throw it at a violent tree," Ron mumbled. Harry smiled. He heard Ron telling James "There's no way anyone could afford that, mate. With that much money we could buy Canada." Harry remembered that James wanted a broom. But everything was so expensive... Harry looked around at the older brooms. Ron joined him. "I guess James wants one."

"Yep."

"Good luck with that. We almost had to sell our kidneys to get one for John." Their eldest son (John) had been on the Gryffindor team for two years. Their second boy, Josh, had been using the school brooms for a year.Ron and Hermionehoped that the next two wouldn't be all that interested in quidditch, unless they planned to grow wings.

"Why is it all so expensive? Even the really old Cleensweeps - those were old when we played - are expensive."

"Quidditch has become a more popular sport, if you can imagine that. Especially among the girls - you'd better start saving up for Angie's broom." Harry sighed. He knew they didn't have enough money for a broom, even a really old one. "Just tell him you'll get him one for Christmas or something." Harry nodded. "Or, maybe, if he's really spectacular, the school will pay for one. Maybe he picked up some of your quidditch DNA."

Harry laughed. "I doubt it's in the DNA... I should go find him. Maybe I can talk him out of it." He found James and his cousins John and Josh in front of the store. A group of exceptionally pretty girls had just entered, giving Harry the feeling that those three weren't in there to look at brooms.

Ron found them as well. "Put them back in your head," he told the boys. "We have to go meet your mother before she has a coronary." They followed him out and toward the ice cream parlor. Hermione and their third boy Chris were waiting for them, as were Ginny and Angie.

James came up to Harry. "I was thinking... I don't really need a broom right now. I'm not on the team yet. I don't know if I'd be good enough to make it anyway."

"You'll make it. You migt not have a good broom, but you'll make the team." As they walked, Harry spotted a blond man leading two little blond girls through the crowds. Ron slowed to get back by Harry.

"Kind of scary that they let people like that reproduce," Ron mumbled.

* * *

At the ice cream parlor, they had one huge table to themselves. They were almost finished when Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and Minerva McGonagall was behind him. The boys looked a bit afraid. 

"Potter."

"To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing the headmistress in Diagon Alley?" Harry asked.

"Could I talk with you for a moment? Alone."

"Sure," Harry got up and followed her across the street, up against an empty building.

"One smart boy you have there," McGonagall said, looking back at James. "Very intelligent. He does seem to have picked up the Potter trouble making gene, but at least he hasn't sent any monsters loose."

"Just give him time. I'm sure he'll blow up something. What is it you needed?"

"You know we've been having trouble keeping professors since... well, you know." Harry nodded. No one had stayed long since Dumbledore had died. "We haven't been able to fill the Dark Arts class at all."

Harry knew where this was going. "I -"

"Luckly I've found someone to take it, but he won't be here until January, and I'm all out of substitutes."

"I couldn't -"

"It would only be until Christmas break."

"But I'm not much of a professor -"

"The pay has been tripled as an incentive to anyone willing to take it."

Harry sighed. "Let me talk about it with Ginny."

"Let me know by next Monday."

"Isn't next Monday the start of school?"

"Exactly."

* * *

"What?" Ginny asked him. They had gotten a moment alone that night to talk about it.

"She asked me to be a professor."

"Why would she ask you? You're not even certified."

"I told you she'd run out of others, and the real professor won't be there until January. So it'd only be until Christmas."

"But what about your job with the ministry? And the Order?"

"There will be aurors at the school. Death Eaters have been showing up recently; they won't take any chances. I'll probably be assigned there anyway." Ginny sighed. She was obviously as unsure about it as he was. "They'd give me three times as much as a normal prof."

"Really? How much do professors make?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is it'll be tripled."

"Harry -"

"You can't say we don't need the money."

"We do need it, but - I don't want you to kill yourself over that. Being a professor is a hard job."

"Triple the money."

"Harry -"

"James wanted a broom today and I couldn't get it for him. If I take this job we'll have enough money to buy him the best broom they can make."

Ginny sighed again. "If that's what you want, fine."

"Would you be okay here without me?"

"I don't know."

Harry thought for a minute. "Maybe I could get them to let me come home on weekends."

"No, don't worry about it."

"I won't take it if you don't want me to."

"If you want the job, take it. Just don't kill yourself. The money would help a lot."

Harry thought, then said: "I'm going to take it."

* * *

End notes: More people! So, to straighten this out, here's everyone new so far and their ages: 

Harry's: James (13), Angie (11), Mike (10), Sirius (8), Lily (5)  
Ron's: John (14), Josh (13), Chris (11 - although he's a 2nd year, he's the youngest in his year), Tom (9)

You only really need to know James, Angie, and John from here on. Josh and Chris might show up, but not often. Hope that helped...


	4. Hogwarts

Notes: I think I lost some of you... Now it's James's turn! Remember that James knows nothing about Harry's past. You'll find out whi soon enough.

* * *

James was in his room, packing his trunk for school. His dad had left two days ago - profs could show up early if they liked. James still couldn't believe it. His dad, a professor? Was he even qualified for that? But, knowing Hogwarts' record, it probably didn't matter. Every professor he'd ever had didn't seem like they were qualified. Well, a few were, but the rest... It will be wierd, having him there. But maybe I can get off with some stuff now. 

There was something about Hogwarts to his dad. He didn't like to talk about it. If anyone asked him anything about his school days he would quickly change the subject. His mum had told him not to bother his father with such things. But why would he hide it unless something important had happened? Maybe it was something bad, James thought. Something that got him into loads of trouble - but then, why would McGonagall want him to teach? Why would she let a trouble maker be in charge?

Obviously he's good at dark arts, James thought. He's a famous auror. Everyone knows him. But, do they know him for something else?

Yes it would definately be odd with him there. He's going to have to be there anyway. The school had uped security this year. A group of people called 'death eaters' had been spotted around the country. James had seen it in the paper, before his dad had quickly folded it up so he couldn't read the whole article. Wonder what they're about - obviously nothing good with a club name like that. Whoever they were their appearance upset all the aurors greatly. The Ministry had been disturbed enough to order aurors around every magical school, especialy Hogwarts. James had heard there were to be one hundred aurors near the school. They would be in two shifts of fifty people. Why one hundred? Are we really that unsafe? Do we even have that many aurors in the country?

Having his dad there was of great importance. James had overheard various aurors practically begging him to be one of the guards. McGonagall had made sure he'd be there 24/7. Something had happened between those people and his dad before, possibly when he was in school there. And James was determined to pester as many people as necessary until he found out.

* * *

James, his three cousins, and his sister were on Platform 9 3/4. James turned to his mother, who was busy fussing over Angie. "Mum? Could I ask you something?" 

"What is it?"

"Why do we need a hundred aurors at Hogwarts?"

"Don't worry about such things James," she said quickly. "Now hurry or you won't get a seat."

"But I want to know. Is something bad going to happen?"

"You're perfectly safe at Hogwarts. Perhaps more so than you are at home." The train whistle blew. "Off you go. Take care of your sister."

_Perhaps more so than you are at home._ We live in an invisible house. How much safer can you get?

* * *

James sat with his cousins, who forced him to allow his sister there as well. He brought up the topic to them. "What d'you think has got them so jumpy?" 

John ((Ron and Hermy's oldest)) shrugged. "Who knows? These death eater people can't be good news though, with a name like that."

"Are you sure they said one hundred?" Angie asked. James nodded, slightly annoyed.

"Do we have that many?" Josh ((Ron and Hermy's second)) asked. "I didn't think England was a big enough country to have that many aurors."

"Maybe they're borrowing some," John said. "I don't think France needs theirs. Nothing exciting has happened over there for a while."

"They wanted my - our," James corrected himself, remembering that Angie was there, "dad to be there. Whatever it is it involves him."

"Maybe it'll scare them away," Josh said. "I mean, he is one of the best aurors in Europe. Maybe they'll change their minds if they see him there."

"It'll probably be more of an incentive to attack," James said. "He's put more than a few of them in Azkaban."

A tall blond girl walked past their compartment slowly, looked at all of them, and then kept walking. John sighed. "Oh, it's gonna be a fun year."

"Why?" John asked.

"That little wench is prefect. She's always been in my face since the day I got here."

"Mine too," James added quietly.

"Obviously she hasn't found us yet," Josh said to their third brother, Chris, who had been quiet the whole time.

"She will," John said. "Just don't give her any reason to report you. Prefects might not be able to take points, but that one has connections with people who can. Her older sister's head girl. And I've heard they have a third one coming this year."

"Oh no," Angie said, knowing enough about Hogwarts to not want to get in trouble with prefects or their siblings.

"It's a dynasty then," James said.

"Weren't you thinking of joining the quidditch team?" John asked him. "The sisters are both chasers on their team."

"Well then I'll be sure to become a beater," James mumbled.

"It is fun," Josh said. He was one of the Gryffindor beaters and had been so for almost two years. "You can 'accidentally' knock their brains out."

"I dunno if I'm even going to make it on the team," James said.

"Sure you will. He did," John pushed Josh a bit.

"And if I can make it anyone can."

"What positions are open?"

"They need two chasers, a beater, and a seeker. Probably a reserve team as well, after what happened last year." Gryffindor had lost the quidditch cup to Ravenclaw the year before because half of the Gryffindor team had been knocked unconcious during a match against Slytherin and there hadn't been any replacements. "It was sad."

"At least we won the house cup," Josh pointed out.

"Yeah, by three points. That's pathetic." The blond girl walked past again. "Yes, it'll be a fun year. I hope I get prefect next year. I'd like to report her for being a stuck up brat."

((Can you guess who's child the blond girl is?))

* * *

James filed in with the rest of the students. They sat and watched as about six million first years were hurded in. "We'll be lucky if we eat before Christmas," Josh whispered. 

James occupied himself by scanning the staff table.At the far left was Binns, the ghost History of Magic professor who had been there forever. Then Flitwick, the Charms professor, who had also been there forever and was rumored to be retiring soon. Then Madame Hooch, theflying professor, then the unmistakable form of Hagrid, who was still thecare of magical creatures professor.At the far right was Firenze, a centaur, who had been the astronomy professor for some time because he still was not allowed back into the Forest (no one was sure why). Next to him was Trelawney, looking just as spaced out as ever.

A tall, thin woman with blood red hair was sorting the first years. This was Professor Kaldran, the potions professor for the last ten years. She had taken over as head of Ravenclaw when Flitwick decided he would retire soon, and she was smarter than the whole table of Ravenclaw's combined. It was impossible to disagree with her in class, even in a subject she didn't teach. She had become the deputy headmistress because she was the only certified professor that wasn't going to retire soon or wasn't already dead.

Back at the stafftable James looked at the new people. There was a new muggle studies professor, but James didn't know who he was. It really didn't matter as he was never going to take that class. On theleft side of the headmistress' chair was a new one. That has to be the new herbology professor, James thought. And in between the herbology professor and Trelawney was his dad, looking rather bored with the whole thing.

Angie was called up to be sorted. Their dad seemed to perk up a bit. She was put into Gryffindor, obviously, and both James and his dad fell back into a daze until the food appeared. At the end of it all the headmistress stood up.

"Quiet please. Welcome to a new year.I assume you've noticed a few new faces at the staff table. You will get to know them soon, but I shall introduce them to you now. Professor Talric for muggle studies," the man stood up, there was applause, "Professor Longbottom for herbology," ((Yes, it's Neville!)) more applause, "and Professor Potter fordefense against thedark arts." There was applause, but also a low whisper that moved around the students.

"Potter? As in _Harry_ Potter?" They whispered.

"_The_ Harry Potter?"

"How did they get him?"

"Quiet please," McGonagall said again. "Now it is time for bed. First years follow your prefects. Everyone have a good night and a good sleep - remember you start classes first thing tomorrow. And to anyone who cares to know, quidditch try-outs are next week."


	5. Blond Hair with Red Highlights

Notes: Yey reviews! You haven't all died of boredom yet! Sorry I haven't been here in forever. I moved into my dorm and I don't have a computer yet. Please stick with it!

----------

James was walking up to the school, from care of magical creatures, the next day. It was his first class Monday morning, which wasn't that bad because the professor had always liked him. He met John ((R/H oldest - I'll keep reminding you, don't worry)), who was coming out of herbology.

"How was it?" John asked him.

"As exciting as the first day ever is," James mumbled. "Is it May yet?"

"I hope not. When do you have your dad's class?"

"Wednsday. Same day as the try-outs."

"Are you still worried about those? Don't be. You'll make it."

"I'd better. My dad said something about a family record, whatever that's supposed to mean." The two of them jumped on the moving staircase.

"You mean, you don't know? He never told you?"

"Don't know what?"

John got off the stairs and turned to James. "Your dad was, and probably still is, the youngest seeker in Hogwarts history. They say he was recruited at his first flying lesson."

"That's impossible. How'd they do that if he didn't know how to fly yet?"

"I dunno, that's just the rumor. There's more. Come on," John changed directions and headed for the trophy room. James followed slowly, wondering if it were true but half hoping it wasn't. What would that mean for him if he didn't make the team?

The trophy room was huge. It had recently been expanded to fit more trophies. The back wall housed all quidditch cup winners and team records. "Look at this," John said "longest match: three weeks, four hours, and ten minutes. Who would want to be on a broom that long?"

James shrugged. He found the ones that had every winning team listed, with team pictures. "Longest winning streak: Gryffindor, 1993, 1995 - 2004. Wonder what happened in 94?"

"Dunno," John said. "Look." He pointed to the team lists. "Harry Potter - he's on 93, 95, and 96. Wait, how old is he?"

James thought about it for a second. "Fourty seven, I think." ((Please excuse my math if that's wrong.))

"So, he graduated in the spring of 98. Why wasn't he on the 97-98 team?"

"Maybe he switched schools," James said. "Or maybe he quit."

"I don't think he quit," John said. He pointed down. "Most snitch catches: 63. To Harry Potter. That's a lot of matches, and too good of a record to just quit. And there: fastest snitch catch, 35 seconds. To Harry Potter."

"That isn't a family record. It's his record." James said, quite amazed at all of this.

"Well, we're family, right? So maybe my mum or dad did something..." John scanned the walls. "Yep - Ron Weasley, 1995, 1996. Fourth best Gryffindor keeper ever. And your mum - Ginera Weasley, 1995, 1996, chaser and seeker."

James sighed. "This makes me feel a lot better about Wednsday..." Suddenly, he spotted something on the wall. "Woah, look." He pointed to another one that said James Potter, chaser.

"Must've been your granddad," John said. James nodded. "Whatever happened to them, your dad's parents? We've never seen them."

"They died, but he won't talk about it."

"He doesn't like to talk about things, does he?" James shook his head. "Well, I know someone I go to whenever I want information that I'm not supposed to have - my dad. He'll be coming next week, with the rest of the aurors."

---------------

James clutched his broom and looked around him. The rest of the Gryffindor would-be team mates were standing in a large group. The captain, a short girl with brown hair, was weeding out the first years and non-Gryffindors. James really wished he were somewhere else... What am I doing here? I can't do this...

The members of the team from the last year were on a bench. His cousins were waiting to cheer him on, giving him thumbs-up and other such signs. James noticed that sitting next to John was a very pretty girl with short blond hair, highlighted red. She noticed him looking and smiled, that kind of smile that says 'good luck'. James smiled back.

"Okay, listen up," the captain was saying. "First we'll do the chasers and the keepers, then the beaters, so we don't hurt anyone, then the seekers. If you're one of those that wants to try out everywhere, go right ahead. We'll ask the ones we like to stay behind to see some more. Brooms ready!" James felt his heart racing, his stomach churning. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? "Keepers, please take the left goal and our chasers will be up to have some shooting practice. Chasers, to the right, and out keeper will be up to work with you."

James got on his broom and headed for the right goals. John came up to be their keeper, even though he was a reserve chaser last year. The captain was the keeper and needed to be watching everyone, not just the chasers. James saw the girl from before get on her broom and go over with the keepers. That means she's a chaser, if she's trying out the new keepers... He wanted to be a chaser now more than ever.

"One at a time," John was saying, "Take the quaffle and come at the goals. Try to score. Don't worry if you don't; it's the form that matters." James got in line and watched the others. He had a lot of good competition. Nearly everyone made the shot. I'm going to miss it, I know I will...

When it was almost his turn, he looked behind him at the keeper area. To his joy, they had already finished and were watching... the girl smiled at him again... Oh no... don't mess up while she's watching... Now I'm going to miss for sure... why does she have to be watching?...

Maybe I won't miss, he thought. Maybe I am good at this... yeah!... and just imagine what she'll think if I get it!... He took the quaffle and zoomed for the goals. He came closer, imagining the moment in his head, darted past John... and completely missed the shot.

James was humiliated, and could feel himself going red. John handed him back the quaffle, to take back to the next chaser. "Don't worry, mate. You just got a little too excited. Nice speed though, especially on a school broom."

James joined the rest of the chasers that already got a shot. He couldn't stand to look behind him, at the chasers. Even though he was in a group, he felt like there was some 'this-loser-missed-the-shot' spotlight on him. Good going, he told himself. You don't even know her name yet and look what you've done...

After a while, a long while, James got the courage to look behind him. The girl was floating with the other chasers. She smiled at him again and shrugged, as if to say 'well, you can't get them all'. He smiled back, feeling a little better.

----

"The following people please stay behind, for a second try," the captain said, after everyone was done. James had thoroughly convinced himself that he wouldn't make it. He had missed... stupid... that's what you get for showing off. "Alecia Carwol, Mark Turnby, David Secinya, and James Potter." James felt his mouth drop. But... he had missed... how...? "The rest of you, there is a list posted over there for the reserve team. Almost all of you made it. You may go after you look. The four of you, step forward please."

They stepped. "No hiding it now, you four made it. But you'll need more practice. Alecia and David will be our new chasers, Mark our new beater, and James our seeker." James was confused. But... but... I didn't try out for seeker... "We start tommorow at 7 pm. Be there or you're off the team."

"Umm, excuse me?" James asked. "How did I get seeker? I didn't try out for that."

"Yes, but I think you'll do fine. You have good speed, and you can handle a broom well. The only difference is a smaller ball. See you all tomorrow."

James was still dumbfounded. How... had he...? John was congratulating him. "You did it! See, I told you you would!" James nodded. He spotted the girl with blond and red hair gathering her things. She smiled at him and then continued on her way. James smiled back and watched her walk away.

John gasped, and James looked over at him. He had a huge smile on his face. "What?" He smiled more. "_What_?"

"Katie. Her name is Katie. And it's not nice to stare."

Katie, James thought. I like that... "What year is she?"

"Fourth." John grabbed his things and whispered to James: "Gonna be hard to snag that one, though. She's one of those quiet, super smart people."

"Who said I wanted to 'snag' anything?"

"Girls don't have cooties anymore, James," John said. "It's okay to like them that way."


	6. Wronski Feint

Notelianos: Yey! I was afraid I lost you. College is kicking my butt, so if it takes a while I simply can't find the time to write much.

* * *

The aurors had arrived overnight. Most were stationed around the forest and by the front gate. James didn't think there were a hundred, but he figured that some were probably in Hogsmeade as well... which reminded him that he got to go to Hogsmeade that year. Maybe I can ask Katie... 

James was sitting in the common room, acting like he was doing school work but really watching Katie, who really was doing school work. John joined him and noticed where he was looking. "What did I tell you about staring?"

"Do you think I have a shot at it?" James asked.

"Maybe, if you try hard enough. But staring at her isn't going to get your transfigurations work done."

"I know... my brain can't handle both... Isn't your dad here, with the aurors?" James said, trying to get the subject off of Katie.

"Should be."

"What was it we wanted to ask him?" James' eyes hadn't moved off of Katie, but she wouldn't look up, which either meant that she had noticed and was too shy to look back, or that she really liked doing school work.

"Uhh... oh, quidditch."

"Yeah... we should go do that."

"Would you like to leave your eyes here?"

"No. I don't think she'll be leaving anytime soon. We should go, while we're not doing anything important."

"Alright then," John got up, but James didn't move. John waved his hand in front of James' face.

"Hmm?"

"Come on already. The poor girl's probably scared of you. You're staring at her like some kind of rapist."

"Okay." James got up slowly, completely forgetting the transfiguration work and letting it sit there. "Let's go."

* * *

They found John's dad by the school gates, lying on the ground with his eyes closed. There were four other aurors there as well. "What is it John?" he asked, not opening his eyes. 

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I see no reason why Chris or Josh, or anyone else, for that matter, would bother me. Unless your mother's here and no one informed me."

"James wanted to ask you something."

"Really?" He sat up, looking at the two of them. "And what would that be?"

"Well, there are a few -" James said, feeling kind of ackward.

"Then you'd better sit down, you might be here a while." They sat.

"We were looking at the quidditch records -" James started.

"And you want to know if it's true." James nodded. "It is. Everything in that trophy room is true."

"What about the rumor that he was the youngest seeker ever?" John asked.

"Yep, that too. I was there when it happened. By the way, I heard you got seeker. Good job."

"Yeah, but now I have to do good, with what all those trophies say," James mumbled.

"You'll be fine, don't worry." Easier said than done, James thought. "Is that it? I have to act like I'm working in a second, the headmistress is coming..."

"There's something else," James said. "What happened in 1994?"

Ron looked a little scared to answer the question. "What do you mean?"

"Why wasn't there any quidditch?"

"Oh... well, there was this thing called a Triwizard Tournament."

"Oh," James said, sensing that something bad must have happened. They all got up off the ground.

"James, listen," Ron said. "There are some things I shouldn't tell you. You really should go ask him. I don't have the right to... well, to get into his buisness."

"Why has he never told me before?"

"Some really bad things happened to your dad while he was at school. Terrible, horrible things... if he wants to tell you then you'll know." McGonagall had just arrived, and the aurors stood still.

James and John hurried off, getting out of the way of the headmistress. He thought about what his uncle had said, and what his mother always told him. _Don't bother your father with such things_. Something very bad had happened... James wasn't quite so sure he wanted to know anymore.

**

* * *

Skip back to Harry, for a bit.**  
----------------------------------- 

"He asked you that?" Harry mumbled. Ron had just come up to his room, where he had been checking papers, and told him everything.

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess I brought it upon myself. I told him to look."

"You really should tell him."

"There is a very good reason I haven't told them anything," Harry said, defensively.

"I know, but James is older now. He'll understand."

"I don't want them to think I'm anything special. If they found out about all of those things I did, which I really didn't do on my own..." He laughed a bit "They'd probably end up like Malfoy used to be."

"Used to be?"

"Well, he has improved a bit from where he started."

"He still calls me Weezlebee. I don't think that's improvement."

"Mmmhmm... Roonil Wazlib."

"Shut it," Ron said defensively. "So, any news on Bellatrix?"

"Not recently, at least, not since I went with Hermione last time. They are doing it rather sneakily this time around."

"They won't hide it for long. They like to brag."

"I think the ministry already knows something, and they just haven't told us yet. You'd think they'd clue me in, since, you know, I did it last time, but evidently that's not an issue now."

"The ministry has been better ever since Scrimengour left though. At least the guy in there now isn't as cocky."

"He's only behind on Scrimengour in that he hasn't asked me to be a cosmetic addition to the ministry yet. Other than that... I gave up trying to make them listen to me a long time ago. I figure, if they don't want to listen to the one who did it last time, they'll be the ones dying." Harry laughed. "Hmm. I sound like the cocky one now."

"But you have a right to be. You actually did something important."

"Yeah, well, try convincing them of that." This entire time Harry had been busy checking assignments. There was a large pile of them on his desk.

"How's the class been going?"

"Hmm. If I had known it was this hard... Book work from the first and second years, reports from the third years," he said, pointing to the stacks on his desk, "exam from the fourth years, practice OWLS work from the fifth years, more tests from the sixth years, and the seventh years have a report due this week which is going to take me a month to do. So, yeah, it's awesome."

"Have you talked with Ginny recently?" Harry shook his head. "You two are always so close, even after all this time... I just thought, maybe she'd miss you."

"She probably does and doesn't want to bother me."

"Makes sense."

"I hope she's doing alright. She's never been with the kids by herself, at least not everyday."

"She's probably glad you're here to look out for James and Angie, since all this death eater stuff has been happening. You should take a break. You've been working all day."

"I can't. If I do it won't get done."

"The Gryffindor team is practicing tonight at six. That's a good enough reason to take a break, right? See how that son of your's is."

"No. I don't want to embarass him."

"But that's what parents are for!"

"Fine, fine. I'll go."

* * *

Harry and Ron went to the quidditch pitch near the end of the practice. The team didn't seem to notice that they were being watched. "The keeper is horrible," Ron mumbled. 

"You're one to talk."

"She needs a lucky potion more than I ever did."

"Sure," Harry said, shaking his head. Ron's son John went flying over their heads. "He's not too bad, though. Maybe they'll start singing the song again."

"Don't be ridiculous. They'd have to change the words, and then it wouldn't rhyme. I never did find out who started that song."

"That was the Slytherins."

"I know that. I mean, which person."

The team was landing. The captain noticed that they were there and came over to them. "Professor? We weren't expecting anyone..."

"Don't call me that. It doesn't sound right. And we were just watching."

"Oh. Well, do you have any advice for us? I mean, since you both used to play quidditch..." Harry thought Ron was going to say something about the keeper, but he kept his mouth shut. Harry was about to speak when a troop of Slytherins (the always present antagonists) came in. "We have the pitch for another fifteen minutes," the captain said.

"And you'd better make sure you're off it before that," a Slytherin said. "We need to practice more than you, so if you are one second over -"

"Is there a problem here?" Harry asked, standing and looking at the Slytherin group.

"No, professor. Of course not. We were only assuring that we have out fair share of the pitch."

"It has been assured. You should leave while the Gryffindor team finishes up. Common courtesy. You wouldn't want them here while you practice, would you?" The Slytherins didn't seem to know what else to do, and didn't want to talk back to a professor, so they began to walk away. "And I think you can stay back there for an extra five minutes to make up for the five you just cost them."

The Gryffindor team looked amazed that anyone would stick up for them. "Professor -" the captain began.

"Can you come every practice?" Josh ((R/H)) asked.

"Josh -" the captain began again. She looked at Harry as if to say 'I'm really sorry about him'.

"What? They're here every practice kicking us out way before our time is up. It's about time someone told them off."

"Sure," Harry said. Even though he had work to do he thoroughly enjoyed punishing Slytherins. "When I can."

"We would love to have your input on how the team is doing," the captain said.

"Do you know how to do a Wronski Feint?" another player asked.

"Yes, but I haven't done it in a long time -"

"Could you show us?" a boy said, offering Harry his broom.

"I-"

"Yeah, go on Harry," Ron said, nudging him. "Show them."

"Fine. If I die I'm blaming it on you." He held his wand up in the air and after a few seconds his Firebolt showed up. There was a group gasp. "It's a little dusty, but it works fine."

Harry went up into the air. _I'm really sorry about this_, he thought to his broom. _I know it's been a while._ He flew up as high as he could without making himself dizzy and looked back down. He realized why some of them gasped before. Most of them were younger and didn't know much about nonverbal spells. It must have surprised them to see a broom coming out of no where. _Okay then, straight down. _He tilted the broom vertically and fell to the ground, pulling out at the last second. He hadn't gone as fast as he had before, but at least he wasn't dead. The team was applauding him. "I used to be able to do it better."

"Better? That was great," a girl said. "None of us could do that."

"Sure you could, if you practiced at it." The captain began collecting the balls before the Slytherins came back and let everyone leave. Harry and Ron began to walk back to the castle. "I'm going to wait for James," Harry decided, stopping half way there. Ron continued on without him.

* * *

**Switching again**  
----------------- 

James was changing out of his quidditch gear. He hadn't expected to see his dad there. A Wronski Feint... he would never be able to do that. Not that he hadn't enjoyed watching it, though. _Now what happens if I don't win my first match? They'll think..._ He wasn't sure what they'd think, but it wasn't going to be good. He began walking back to the castle when Katie walked past him quickly. "Oh, hi James," she said, then continued on.

"H-hi," James mumbled, caught off guard. _She said hi to me. She said hi to me! _He went to the castle in a sort of daze and found his dad waiting for him. "Hi," James said, feeling a little ackward. "What did I do?"

"Nothing. Well, nothing that I know about."

"Then -"

"Ron told me what you asked him today." Oh no, James thought. "And - I think I should tell you. You have a right to know."

"Okay."

"But you can't tell any of your siblings, alright? They'll hear it when they're old enough."

"Okay, sure."

"My office, tomorrow, after six."

James nodded. "Alright." They both walked into the castle, and his dad headed up for his office. _That was strange_, James thought. _She said hi to me!_


	7. Where It All Started

James walked into his dad's office over thirty minutes late. "Sorry. Uh, practice went over and -"

"It's alright," said Harry, who was grading reports. "If you were on time all the time I would start to think that you were Hermione's child and not mine. Sit." James sat, and his dad got up, going over to a stone bowl type thing in a corner. "Do you know what a pensive is, James?"

"Um..." James thought for a minute, trying not to feel stupid. "No. I don't have a clue. But I bet it's that thing your standing over."

"How right you are. A pensive is like a big bowl that you can put your thoughts into, then bottle them up so they won't bother you anymore."

"Oh." Harry went over to a closet near the pensive and looked around inside for a second. James couldn't really see in it from the angle he was sitting at, but he guessed that it was probably where his dad kept memories. He brought out several bottles.

"Come here," his dad said. James came, and on the way past glanced in the closet. It was literally stuffed with bottles, stacked on shelves to the ceiling and at least four rows deep. "You wanted to know about my past."He poured a bottle in and let it swirl around. "Might as well start at the beginning. How much do you know about Voldemort?"

James thought again. He knew he had heard it somewhere. "I don't remember a lot, but someone's told me about him."

"Well, he was a wizard, just like you or me. But he wanted power, power over everything. And he would kill anyone or anything that got in his way." He watched the memory for a second, and then continued: "There was this group called the Order of the Phoenix. It still exists, actually, just not as strongly as it used to. Anyway, it was a group of the best wizards and witches the magical community could find, and they banded together to put a stop to Voldemort and all of his plans. But sometimes they got in the way, and then..."

He paused again, for a very long time, so long that James started to feel awkward. But then he continued again: "If there was even a chance that someone could be more powerful than him, Voldemort would kill them. Even if it were a baby. You need to know that, so that you'll understand... Lean against the pensive and look down."

James did so, saw images floating around, and then felt himself falling. He landed on the pavement of a dark street. His dad was already up and walking away. James got up and followed. There was a lot of fog everywhere.

"So, this is someone's memory?"

"A lot of someone's memories," his dad explained. "The only people that actually witnessed it either can't remember or were killed." They entered a house where a young couple were sitting with their baby. The man looked a lot like... oh no, James thought. This is them. The grandparents I never saw. Am I going to have to see them die?

"They can't see us?" James asked.

"No. We're just watching like we don't exist. Well, you wouldn't exist either way. Several more years before you come along."

They just stood there, watching the couple, for a very long time. Suddenly, the man ((you know it's James but if I use the name twice everyone will get confused)) jumped up and went to the window, as if he had heard something. James followed him, also wanting to see what it was. He watched the man look, and then his face got very white.

"Lily... get out of here. Take Harry and run."

"What?" Lily asked, but the look on her husband's face gave her enough information. "No... he wouldn't..."

"Go."

"Peter would never..."

"Go!" Lily clutched her child and, looking more terrified than anyone else, there ran to a door in the back of the room and left.

The man went slowly to the door, holding his wand up as if waiting for an attack. The door opened and a small man came in. "Peter..." A very tall, odd looking man entered behind him. "Why? We trusted you."

The small man didn't say anything. "We came for the boy," the tall man hissed, "not you."

"You'll never get him."

"Oh yes, I think I will."

"No. Never. I'll never let you get to him."

"Fine then." There was a flash of green light, and the man lay sprawled out on the floor, dead. Even though he had expected it, James turned away quickly and felt himself cover his mouth. He looked up to his dad, who had his eyes closed. "Now, where is that child? This is an extreme waste of my time, and if he's not here, Wormtail, then you'll be taking his place."

"He is here, My Lord. I assure you. She can't have gotten far." They walked through the house, checking every door. They found her in a bedroom. "Ah..."

"No!" Lily screamed, poking her wand at them. "Stay back!"

The tall man sighed. "I only want the boy, not you. Now be a good girl and get out of the way. I don't want to have to get rid of you as well."

Lily looked past them and saw her husband on the floor. "James..." she whispered, looking as if she might collapse. She regained her composure. "Kill me, not him. He's only a baby. What did he ever do to you?"

"Something that is too long and complicated that I don't have the patience to explain now. Just step out of the way and it'll be done with."

"No. You can kill me but don't kill Harry. He never hurt you. Me, I work against you everyday. It's me you want, not him."

The tall man sighed again. There was another green flash, and Lily fell to the floor, letting out a horrible scream. James looked up at his dad again. He looked like he could barely handle it. "Now, for this boy." The baby was on the bed, looking around for its mother. "So much trouble over one little..." he laughed. "How did they think that this could ever overtake me? Me! Ha, it's funny. That little thing, stop me? Never, never."

He pointed his wand at the infant, and there was another green flash. This time, however, something strange happened. The green light shot back quickly at the man, as if it had been reflected off of the baby. There was a scream, and then the entire room got so foggy that James couldn't see anything.

"What happened?"

"No one knows."

"Really?"

"Really."

"So, now what?"

"There's more. Wait a second."

The fog cleared slowly. They were back outside of the house, or what was left of it. It had been blown to pieces. James suddenly heard something on the street with them. It was a motorcycle, its rider already running toward the house. James ran after him, anxious to see what had happened.

The man from the motorcycle, who looked a lot like the one that had just been killed but smaller and with messier hair, had fallen to the ground in front of the first victim. "James... I knew he... we shouldn't have... I should have known better... I'm sorry. It's my fault. This is all my fault." He reached out and touched his friend's body, tears falling down his face.

Then a cry was heard from the other room, a baby's cry. The man's head came up again and, looking very shocked, he went into the room. He recoiled a bit at the sight of Lily's body, but then remembered the child. He reached out and picked up the boy, wrapping him in a blanket.

"Harry... How did you...? What...?" He ran a finger over the mark on the boy's head. "Oh my... Don't worry. It'll be okay. I'll take care of you."

"Sirius," said someone behind them. James and Sirius turned. An older man with a long white beard stood in the doorway.

"Sir... I had to... when I found out that... I had to try to stop him. But I was too late..."

"It is okay, Sirius. I'm afraid that no one could have gotten here in time. You know that Voldemort does not like to wait, and Peter knew just where to take him."

"We should never have switched. I thought they'd come after me, and leave them alone. They would never suspect Peter. But he... I swear, if I ever see him again..."

"There is no sense in making threats now. We will find him soon enough, and he will get what he deserves."

"Make sure they don't kill him. Death is too good for him. Send him to Azkaban."

"Of course. But, amongst all this bad news, there is some good news." He motioned to the child in Sirius's arms.

"Yes. At least he'll have a chance." Sirius looked back at little Harry. "Did you have plans for him?"

"I was going to send him to live with his aunt, his mother's sister, and her family."

"No!" Sirius said, pulling the baby closer to him and looking insulted. "Not with those muggles! They'd never understand him. They'll make him think he's a freak. I - I'm his godfather! I should be allowed to take him!"

"You know that you cannot handle a child right now. He will be more protected with his family."

"How? How are muggles going to protect him from death eaters? After what Harry did to their master... They'll blast right through those muggles! If not me... then... Remus? Remus could -"

"Remus is hardly in any condition to handle a child. Harry will be safe with his aunt. There is an infinite amount of magic that you do not understand. I will make sure that he is protected, and that he receives the proper training when it is time. Voldemort himself will not be able to touch him."

"Is it true?" Sirius asked. "Is it true that he's dead?"

"I don't know about dead. Something definitely happened to him though, and I don't think we'll be hearing from him for some time."

"Harry has this cut on his head. I don't know if it means anything. I haven't ever seen anything like it." He handed the child to the other man.

"Ah... So that's what happened." He glanced to Lily's body, then back at Harry. "Very interesting..."

"What?"

"His parents sacrificed themselves for him. They loved him so much that they were willing to die in his place. When Voldemort killed them he didn't know that he was decreasing his chances of killing Harry. By the time he did, there was so much protection from that love alone that it repelled the spell."

"So, Voldemort, the great dark lord, was foiled by... love?"

"Exactly."

"Why did he want to get Harry in the first place? I know that he wanted James and Lily dead, for all they did against him, but what threat was a baby?"

The other man looked as if he knew something, but didn't say anything. "We will need to look into that. I'm sure you'll know when I do."

Another figure appeared in the door, this one larger than the other two combined. "Headmaster..."

"Hagrid, thank you for coming so quickly. I have an important job for you."

"Wha... What happened?"

"I'll explain later. Now I need you to take this," he pointed to the baby, "to this address." He handed Hagrid a paper. "I would take him myself but it is dangerous to apparate with a child, and it would take me all night to go any other way."

"Here," Sirius said, "take my motorcycle. We can enlarge it for you. It goes fast, so you'll be there in no time." He carried little Harry out to the motorcycle and enlarged it. Hagrid climbed onto it and figured out how to make it work.

Sirius looked at Harry again. "I'll come get you. As soon as I can, I'll be there. I won't leave you with those muggles. I'll come for you. I promise." He kissed the baby on the head and then handed him to Hagrid, who zoomed off on the motorcycle.

James felt himself being pulled up, and then he was back in the office. His dad was back in the closet. "He never came for you, did he?" His dad didn't answer.

* * *

Notes: I know that it was more Lily than James that saved Harry, but I thought James could use some hero time as well. I fudged it a bit from the story that we know, but it must have happened something like that. And I had to write about Sirius. HAD TO! I love Snuffles and it makes me so sad when I can't write about him. I know some of you might wonder, where'd Harry get a memory from Sirius coming to the house before Dumbledore got there when Sirius is insert correct word here and Harry was too young to remember? We'll just say it came from Dumbledore. I did say in the last story (or the one before that) that Dumbledore left Harry a certain amount of memories, so we'll say it was amongst them. 


	8. Impatience

Notes: Thanks to everyone for the reviews! I'm happy that so many of you like it!  
Please do me a favor: go here - freewebs .com /rokerbaby93087 (without the spaces)- and click on story. That's the beginnings of the novel I told you about a while back. Leave lots of comments. Then check back cause I'll be adding more soon.

* * *

James went to his dad's office several times in the next few weeks and watched everything up until the end of his dad's first year at Hogwarts. It was almost like a fairy tale - he had been taken from a horrible place where no one liked him to a beautiful place where he was famous. James found it a little hard to believe that all of this had actually happened. But, they're memories, right? And they can't just be his memories. So, at least some of it has to be true... 

"It gets way more complicated than that."

"Really? You had an exciting childhood then."

"Hmm... just wait until we get to fourth and fifth year."

Now he had made James anxious. "Do I have to watch all of them?"

"Yes."

"Can't we skip ahead to the exciting parts?"

"Every part is an exciting part. If you really want to understand it all you'll have to watch it all."

Harry was in the closet, looking for the next bottle, while James sat in the office waiting. "How many more are there?"

"A lot."

James was quiet, sensing that he was becoming annoying. He had so many more questions he wanted to ask, but was afraid to. Most of them were about all of these people he kept seeing. Why hadn't he ever seen them? Were they dead? He remembered seeing a picture of that older man...what was his name?... oh, Dumbledore... he had seen it somewhere, but he couldn't remember where. Well, he looks old then, he's probably long gone by now.

James looked down at his watch. He was going to be late for quidditch practice! James swore under his breath.

"I'll choose to ignore that," his dad said.

"I have to go. Quidditch." He left quickly and ran to the pitch.

* * *

"It's weird." 

"What's weird?"

"Not having Hermione here. She always was here, and it's weird that she's not." Harry and Ron were in Hagrid's hut, hiding away from the world.

"Aww, you miss her," Harry teased.

"Shut it."

"'E's right," Hagrid said. "It is weird. I'm used ta having the three of ya, and now there's only two."

"You act like we still come here everyday."

"Well, I haveta admit, you takin this job is one of the best things that's every happened to me. No one stops by anymore, unless they're lookin for extra credit."

They were all quiet for a while, and Hagrid go up to make more tea. "You know, I showed James the memory of when my parents died a few nights ago."

"Really?"

"He wants to know."

"He is exceptionally mature for someone his age," Ron said. "I know. I have three that got left behind by about five years."

"They'll catch up. You weren't exactly the quickest of us all either." Ron pushed Harry hard enough to nearly knock him off the chair.

"I was brilliant. I just chose not to show it."

Harry laughed. "Hermione's brilliant. We're lucky we made it this far."

"Well, I guess if it weren't for you I'd be doing something in the ministry right now. Probably working under my dad, without any kind of family besides the one I was unwillingly born into..."

"And if it weren't for you I'd be bored." They all laughed. "We should call Hermione over next time."

"Sure. She can go to the library. Heaven knows she's behind on reading all of those books."

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," Hagrid said. It was James, still in his quidditch gear.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything..."

"I'm coming," Harry said, draining his cup. They headed back up to his office. "How'd practice go?"

"We had to end early. A bludger went crazy and knocked out four people." Harry laughed. "What?"

"Nothing." He handed James a bottle from the cupboard. "Here you go." Ever since the first one, Harry had let James go by himself. He already knew the story and did not want to relive it. So he let him go again, watching up until the part in the Chamber, which was its own bottle. Harry checked exams while he waited.

When James popped back out, he looked excited and disappointed that he had to wait for the rest. Harry already had the next bottle ready and stood next to the pensive with James. "You're coming?"

"I like this one. There aren't many that I enjoy watching, but this is one of them. In fact, there are only seven or so that I like watching..." He counted them off in his head: his first time at Hogwarts, when he met Ron and Hermione, his first time on a broom, the Chamber, when he met Sirius, the kiss with Cho, the kiss with Ginny, when he had finally gotten rid of Voldemort...

"What are they?"

"You'll find out."

"But I want to know!"

"And you will. Hold on until later."

* * *

James felt himself being sucked into the pensive. He landed in what looked like a basement that hadn't been cleaned in a very long time. "Where are we?" 

"Hmm... that's interesting..."

"What?"

"It didn't start at the beginning."

"So, we're in that Chamber thing?"

"Yep."

"Is it... still there?"

"Yep."

"You've been down there again?"

"Twice, actually."

"Why?"

"You'll see." James was getting really tired of waiting. Couldn't he get the abridged version or something? "You're extremely impatient."

"I want to know what happens."

"You will. We can only do one bottle at a time."

"There has to be a way to make this go faster."

"Well, you could start by following along with the memory." The memory Harry, Ron, and Lockhart had already moved on. "Better move over here."

"Why?"

"You'll see." Just then the ceiling caved in.

"Oh... What happened?"

"If you would pay attention you'd know." His dad held up his wand, and the memory moved backward. "This time stop complaining and listen."

James watched the memory play out. When the basilisk first came out, it scared him a bit, but then he remembered it was only a memory. "You're horrible with a sword."

"I'm a wizard, not a knight." The memory continued on until the phoenix took them out of the Chamber, and then it ended.

"Hmm... What year was that again?"

"Second."

"So I've still got a while to go?"

"Yep." Harry handed him the next bottle. "There you go."

James was about to go into the next one, when he realized something. "Wait a second..."

"Hm?"

"You married your best friend's little sister?"

"So?"

James shook his head. "It just... sounds weird..."

"Honestly, I don't think her brothers would trust her with anyone else. Seeing as I saved all of their behinds about three or four times... I guess that makes me qualified for the job. Would you let just any boy get at Angie?"

"No."

"Exactly."

* * *

Notes: Short, I know. I don't want to go through every year though, cause you already know the story. I'll do the important parts, aka the parts Harry likes. This is all leading up to something, I promise. James has to understand where it all came from, so that at the end he knows what's going on. I'll be doing more current events in a bit. Remember what Bellatrix implied in the end of the last story and what happened in chapter 1 of this story. That basically gives it away. 


	9. The Chapter with No Title

1Note: Remember to check out my other story at freewebs .com /rokerbaby93087 (without the spaces) and click on story in the left menu.

Warning: HBP spoilers. Not that any of you haven't read it, but just in case...

------

Harry was in his office checking papers. He heard someone come in, but let it go. It's probably a house elf or something, he thought. He had so much work to do that he didn't even bother looking up.

Then he felt someone massaging his shoulders. He looked up. "Ginny? What're you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you're not dead yet. I haven't heard from you in a while."

"I've been really busy."

"I can see that." She pulled him away from the desk a bit and sat on his lap. "You need a break."

"Yes, yes I do. But I also have to do all this work."

She put her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. He put his head down and kissed her neck. "That's more like it." She came up and kissed him, then went back to his shoulder.

She suddenly pulled herself up, looking a bit shocked. "What?" he asked.

"You've lost weight."

"Really?" Harry looked down at himself. He didn't think he had...

"Yes. I worked for years on that."

"Sorry."

"No you're not."She put her head back on his shoulder. Harry wrapped his arms around her as well. It felt nice to have her like this again. It had been a while.

"How's it going at home?"

"Same as it always is. Nothing much has changed." She looked up at him again. "You need some sleep."

"I need to finish this work."

"No, you need to sleep." She touched his face, running her thumb under his eye. "Do you know how horrible you look?"

"Thanks."

"You need some rest. Come on." She got off of him and pulled him towards his bed. He followed slowly. He fell into his bed and Ginny crawled in next to him. "I missed you."

"Obviously." They put their arms around each other. "I missed you too." Harry felt himself drifting off...

---------

James came into his dad's office slowly. It was late Friday night, and he had a quidditch match the next day, but he wanted to see more of the memories. There was someone at his desk, but not who James expected. "Mum?"

"Hello."

"What are you doing here?"

"Came to make sure your dad hasn't killed himself yet."

"Oh... where is he now?"

She nodded to the cupboard where the memories were. "He expected you'd be coming."

James went over there and looked in. His dad threw a bottle at his head. "Good thing you caught that. Go on then." James went over to the pensive.

"Why did you decide to show him?" Ginny asked Harry after James had gone into the memory.

"He wanted to know."

"Well, it's good. He should know. With all the rumors that are floating around..."

"I know. I thought it would die down a bit over the years, but obviously not."

"Nope. They'll never let you go. So... how far along is he?"

"Halfway through the year after Dumbledore died."

"Oh... then that's why you're not with him."

"Mmhm. If you would have come a few days earlier you could have seen that really good memory."

"The one that looks like this?" She came over and kissed him.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Darn me for waiting until the weekend. He's almost done watching them, then?"

"Yep. Soon he can leave me alone."

"You know he'll be pestering us until we die. All of them will."

"Nice thing to look forward to."

"That's the price for having children."

Harry went back to checking papers until James came out. He looked a tad upset. "Okay?" Harry asked him.

"Yeah. I - I think I've had enough for one night."

"Fine then. Give it here." James brought the bottle to him and left quickly.

"Traumatize him, why don't you," Ginny mumbled.

"Like I said, he wanted to know. He has to watch the rest of it now. There isn't much left."

"But, you know this isn't going to be easy to believe. All that happening to one person... it seems more like a story than a life."

"I know. I lived it. At least it is an interesting story." Ginny put her arms around him and pulled him up again. "What?"

"You need to rest more."

"I just got up."

"Well, you need to go back down."

"Gin -" He sighed and got up. "Fine."

"You need to come back home with me. You work too hard here."

"I didn't work at all at home."

"Exactly. But, you'll be back soon. Right after Christmas... Right?"

"...Right..." Harry said. He hadn't told her that he might have to come back after Christmas. The real professor had been missing for a month. They thought he might have been eaten by a plant or something. But they assured Harry that it wouldn't be much longer than a month afterward... "Right. At Christmas."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Because you sometimes do, when you don't want me to know something because you think I'll get mad." Harry looked away from her and sighed. "Harry?"

"They told me I might have to come back for a bit after Christmas. They lost the real professor."

She was quiet for a second. "Oh. How long is a bit?"

"I don't know. A month or so."

"Sure."

"Gin, what do you want me to do? Walk out?"

"No, you can't do that."

"Well, unless you can clone me..."

"I just don't know why you have to lie to me."

"I knew you'd get upset."

"I'm more upset that you had to lie."

"Sorry."

"You keep saying that..."

"I mean it this time."

"Alright." She hugged him. "I don't mind if you have to work. You started it, so now you have to finish it. And it is getting us more money." They were both quiet. "I should go, before McGonagall has a fit."

Harry walked her to the front entrance. He kissed her. "Be careful." She nodded and left.


	10. Anger

Note: Sorry, everyone. I've been trying to upload for weeks and it wouldn't let me. :x So, here ya go :hides from the mobs:

* * *

"Look at this," John said, throwing himself onto James's bed. It was Sunday, and there hadn't been quidditch for Gryffindor this weekend, so James had spent most of the weekend in bed. John held up the paper.

James read the headline: "Death Eaters Strike Again."

"Yeah, there are more of them. They keep coming out of everywhere."

Are those the same death eaters that my dad fought? James thought, remembering all of the memories he watched. They have to be. They worked for that bad guy…. What was his name?... Does that mean he's coming back?

"The aurors are going insane. They're all over school. Did you hear? We're not allowed out of the common rooms without one." He took the paper back and read it for a second. "I'm surprised they're letting us go to Hogsmeade. They canceled the first one. You'd think they'd cancel this one too, since it's gotten worse."

"Maybe they're trying to make everything appear normal, so no one gets upset. I'm sure if it were really dangerous, they wouldn't let us go."

"Well, it's next weekend, and they haven't said anything yet."

"Oh, next weekend?

"Yeah. Aren't you going?" John asked.

"Well…"

"Don't tell me you haven't asked yet."

"My dad has been very busy. I haven't had the chance to ask him."

"You have to go!"

"I will… If my dad signs the papers…"

"Come on. You're going to ask him right now." John grabbed James's arm and pulled him up.

"But I – wait – I'm not even dressed yet."

"Who cares?" John was already heading for the door.

"I do. Just give me a second."

A few minutes later, they were hurrying up the stairs. James yawned several times. He was still tired. When they reached his dad's office, they found him busily grading papers. There were stacks of them everywhere. Some of the tests were being magically checked by floating quills. James went in, while John waited outside.

"Ummm… dad?" James said quietly, approaching the desk.

"What is it?" His dad asked, not looking up or stopping checking.

"Uh, could you sign this paper?"

"For what?"

"Hogsmeade," James mumbled

"No."

What? "But -"

"No, James. You're not going."

"But everyone else is going. I'll be the only one here who isn't."

"Too bad."

"Why can't I go?"

"It's complicated."

James clenched his jaw. Complicated? What's that supposed to mean? "It's those death eater people, isn't it?" His dad didn't answer. "That's why you don't want me to go, isn't it? You don't think I could protect myself?"

"No," his dad said, finally looking up. "You can't. The other parents might like to let their children run around where there are murderous hordes swarming, but I don't. You're not going anywhere."

"I could protect myself just fine," James said meanly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I could, if I had to."

"James, some of the spells they use you haven't even heard of yet. They've invented some new ones that even I don't know. There is no way you could protect yourself from them."

James clenched his jaw again, but was quiet. He realized that there was no point in arguing; his dad was never going to sign that paper. He turned and left, walking straight past John.

"Wait," John said, running to catch up with him. "What happened?"

"He won't let me go."

"Why?"

James sighed. "It's complicated."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, once my parents find out about this death eater thing, they won't let me go either. So I'll be here with you. Maybe we could -"

"I'm not staying here."

"You're – but -"

"I'm going to Hogsmeade, whether he wants me to or not."

"They'll never let you out of the building without a signed paper."

"I don't care. I'll sneak out if I have to." When they got back to the common room, they were stopped by a group of Gryffindors, angrily staring at a piece of paper on the wall. "What is it?" James asked.

"They've changed the year that you can go to Hogsmeade," a girl told him. "Only sixth or seventh years, and they must have an auror with them at all times."

"What?"

"I know. It's so stupid!" The girl stormed off.

"Well, I guess we wouldn't be going anyway," John said.

A few hours later, they went down for dinner. The food did not appear on the table. Instead, the headmistress called their attention.

"Quiet please," McGonagall said. The hall became quiet. "Now, I know all of you are upset about Hogsmeade. Understand that we are doing this for your safety. I consulted with the aurors on our staff, as well as the ones protecting the school, and we agreed that only the upper level students should go. If the threat is decreased, the other years will be allowed to go on the next trip. Anyone who tries to sneak in will be severely punished, understand? You can eat now."

The food appeared, but James didn't take any of it. Aurors on the staff? There was only one of those. He looked up to where his dad should be sitting, but he wasn't there.

"You don't think he told her not to let us go?" John asked, seeing where he was looking.

"Who else would… He's supposed to be the best auror on the continent. She would go to him before anyone else. The others just agreed with him because they think he's so awesome."

"Aren't you being a little too dramatic about it?" Chris asked.

"I'm tired of him dictating every little thing that happens."

"He's just trying to protect you," Molly said quietly.

"Yeah, he is your dad. That's what he's supposed to do," John pointed out, but James wasn't listening to them anymore.

"I'm going."

"What?" Molly said, almost spitting out her pumpkin juice.

"I'm going to Hogsmeade."

"You can't. It's not safe. Both mum and dad will kill you."

"I don't care. I'm going."

"James, please, be -"

"And if you say anything," James said, turning on his sister, "I'll make the rest of your school year filled with pain and misery."

Molly shrunk back. She was almost in tears. "Don't be stupid. You're going to get yourself killed."

"Don't get yourself involved and you'll have nothing to worry about." James got up quickly and left without eating anything.

"James!" John called, following him. "Wait!" He caught James on the stairs. "Listen! Don't do this. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Don't look at me like that. I know that's why you're doing this."

James sighed dramatically. "You don't know anything. I'm going because I want to."

"Alright, whatever. But -"

"Just stay out of this. I don't need anyone's help."

"No, I'm not letting you go out there on your own. Even if it means me getting expelled, I won't let you get killed." James started to walk away again, but John grabbed his arm. "There's no need to be like this now. Hogsmeade isn't until next weekend. You don't have to skip dinner tonight for -"

"I'm not hungry."

"James…"

"I'm going to bed." James broke away from him and walked quickly to his dorm.


	11. Hogsmeade

"So, you've been recruited to go too," Ron asked Harry.

"Like I have much of a choice." He was still checking papers. "McGonagall won't go anywhere without me anymore."

"They'll have so many aurors in Hogsmeade. I don't know why she bothered letting any of them go. They're not going to have any fun with us hovering over them."

"They won't have any fun if they're attacked by death eaters either."

"Good point." They were quiet for a second. "I heard James was really angry when you told him he couldn't go."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"My kids tell me everything. He's been storming around like the world hates him all week."

"He just doesn't understand the seriousness of the situation."

"Yeah, he thinks you hate him."

"I thought the same thing when I couldn't go. Some things you just have to let them learn on their own."

"You never gave him that map, did you?"

"Nope."

"Good."

"Could you imagine?" Harry laughed. "I was bad with that thing. He would go insane."

"He isn't quite as bad as we were, though."

"But he also doesn't have a group of psychos chasing him."

Ron laughed. "I've heard he does get into trouble. Some of your genes got there somehow."

"A lot of Ginny's overrode mine." They both laughed. Suddenly, an owl flew past the window and threw a paper at Ron's head. "What's that?" Harry asked.

"Special edition – more about death eaters." Harry signed and shook his head. "Wait. Something about Bellatrix."

"What?" Harry stopped and got up, going behind Ron to read it as well.

"They have some master plan," Ron read. "Look, they mentioned you. They wonder if the plan has something to do with you."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"But – they couldn't use you again, could they? There aren't any spells like that…"

Harry sat back down at his desk. "I don't know. They usually leave hints of what they're doing – even if they don't know it. This time though, they're covering their tracks well."

"When was the last time you saw Bellatrix?"

Harry thought for a second. "Years ago, I think. About… seventeen years, maybe."

"That long ago?"

"Yeah. She… well, we were in Diagon Alley – Ginny and I. And Bellatrix came out of some hole in the wall and took Ginny. I went after her, and then… she just let Ginny and I go. It was really odd now that I think about it."

"Did she say anything?"

"Not really. Some mumbling about something crazy. Something about Voldemort and 'in time'. I don't know. I thought she had finally lost it."

"In time?"

"She was excited when she saw Ginny. Then she said something like that… I don't know what it's supposed to mean."

"Seventeen years ago – that's when we were first in ministry school."

"Yeah." Harry stared at his desk and thought. Why would Ginny be so exciting to her? She just let us go… Ginny and 'in time'…. "Oh my -"

"What?"

"I think I figured it out. She didn't want me or Ginny. But she knew that we were together…"

"And she knew eventually you would reproduce."

"Yes. She doesn't want me – she wants my children." He swore under his breath. "That's why McGonagall wanted me here. I could have just done guard duty like you and everyone else, but she wants me here all the time. She must have thought that they would be after my kids. If I'm here, they would never attack. She acted like she wanted to help me out… wow, she's good."

"And they can't get at the ones at home, because nothing is getting in that house. So they would have to lure the ones here out."

"Hogsmeade." Harry sighed. "I have to go tell Ginny." He got up and headed for McGonagall's office. She had the only fireplace that he could use.

Ron got up as well and followed him. "What about going on the Hogsmeade trip? They're leaving in a few minutes."

"It can wait." He hurried up the stairs and walked into McGonagall's office without knocking. Ron came in behind him.

"Potter," McGonagall said, coming down from her desk. "What-?"

"I need the fireplace," Harry said quickly, and went to it. He stuck his head in and found home. Ginny was in the kitchen, cooking. "Ginny!"

She jumped and dropped the pot she was carrying. "Harry? What-?"

"Where are the kids?"

"Upstairs. Why? What's wrong?" She kneeled down beside the fire.

"Keep them here. Don't let them outside."

"Why?"

"And tell Hermione to bring hers over. She might need the protection too."

"Protection from what? What's going on?"

"I figured out what Bellatrix needs."

She was quiet for a minute. Then... "No – not -?"

"Yeah. Keep them inside. I'm sending some of the Order over to stay with you until I can get there."

"Alright, but – Harry, be careful. Oh, why are you always chasing the bad guys?"

"I'll stop chasing them as soon as they stop chasing me. I'm going to get Molly and James and bring them home. They'll be safer there."

"You can't take them out of school."

"I'd rather them be alive than smart. Then, I guess I'll have to go persuade Bellatrix to give up her plans. I have to go take care of this now, before it gets out of control."

"Okay. Harry?"

"What?"

"Be careful."

"I'm always careful."

"You've said that before."

"It will be okay, I promise. I have to get going."

"I love you."

"I love you too. I'll be there soon, don't worry." He pulled his head back. McGonagall was staring at him. "Headmistress – I'm sorry, but I don't think I can teach for you anymore."

"It's about time."

"I – what?"

"I was wondering when you were going to leave. The other professor has been ready since October. You could have left at any time."

"You were just keeping me here for protection?"

"Quite sneaky of me, wasn't it?" She smiled at him. It reminded Harry of Dumbledore's smile – that one where he knew something but wouldn't tell you. It was creepy.

"I'm taking Molly and James home."

"I'm sure you could teach them all they need to know." She smiled again. This is very odd, Harry though. He turned to leave, when he heard someone running quickly up the stairs. Molly burst through the door and ran to her father. She was in tears. Another girl with blond and red hair came in behind her.

"Molly." Harry stooped down a bit so that he could look at her. "What is it?"

"It – I -" She was crying so hard that she could barely talk.

"Calm down. Just tell me what happened."

The other girl spoke: "Professor, we tried, but he wouldn't listen."

"James -" Molly mumbled.

"What about James?"

"He -"

"He went to Hogsmeade," the other girl finished.

"What?"

Molly continued. "He told me last weekend that he was sneaking in. He told me not to tell you, but I -" she started crying again.

"It's okay. I'll take care of it."

"He'll murder me when he finds out I told you."

"He won't be able to once I'm through with him. Now, I need you to stay here, with the Headmistress, until I come back, okay?" He lead her to McGonagall, who was at her desk again. "Just stay right here, and I'll be back." He made her sit down, and then turned again to leave. He grabbed the other girl and took her with him. Ron followed him.

"Do you like licorice?" McGonagall asked Molly. It seemed to calm her down a bit.

"Scary," Ron said as they walked down the stairs.

"Very scary," Harry agreed.

"What's scary?" the girl asked.

"You talked to James about this?" Harry asked her as they walked down the hall quickly.

"Well, more like he told me…"

"Did he say where he was going out at?"

"What?"

"Did he say where he's going out at?" Harry repeated, somewhat annoyed.

"I -"

"Relax, mate, she doesn't know," Ron said, from behind them.

"How do you know him?"

"We're on the quidditch team together. Please, sir, he was telling John and me about his plan…"

"Plan?" They were at his office by now. They stopped in front of the door.

"Yeah. And then, he just got up and left. John followed him. Then, Molly told me what he had said earlier, about sneaking in, and I though we should tell someone before he got himself hurt."

"What's your name?" Harry asked her.

"Katie, sir. From your class on Monday afternoons."

"Oh, yes, Katie. Go back up and stay with Molly. She'll need the support. Stay with the headmistress until I come back." Katie nodded and left quickly.

The Map was in his desk. If James was still in the castle, or in one of the passages out, he would be able to see him.

When he opened his office door, everything was in disarray. Someone had plowed through and thrown the things on his desk everywhere. He pulled out the map, and noticed – "It's on. Whoever made this mess came to see the map, and they forgot to turn it off."

He scanned the map quickly. Most of the dots were in the common rooms. A small group was heading out – that must be the sixth and seventh years leaving. McGonagall and Molly were still in the office. Katie was heading back up. No one was in the passages, but right next to the one eyed witch entrance was a spot that said John Weasley.

"Somebody's in trouble," Ron mumbled. They ran quickly to the witch statue, knocking over more than a few students in the process. They found John standing next to the statue, looking worried. "John -"

He jumped. "Dad –I-"

"Where's James?" Harry asked.

"He went in the statue. I was going to follow him, but it sealed itself shut. I can't get it open."

"You were going to sneak out too?" Ron asked.

"Well, yes, but only to watch out for him. I wasn't going to let him go alone. I thought maybe he'd wait for me to come in, but he's gone. I've already tried talking to him through the statue."

"How long ago did he leave?" Harry asked.

"Maybe twenty minutes ago."

Harry turned and ran for Hogsmeade. Ron followed, but had trouble keeping up. Harry had never felt himself run that fast before. When he reached the entrance to Hogsmeade, he stopped. Ron caught up, but was very much out of breath.

"Check every store," Harry said. "He has to be here somewhere. Or look for people hiding in dark places. If we can't find him, we can find the death eaters first." They went in and out of every store. There weren't many people, probably because of the death eater warnings. Eventually they reached Fred and George's store.

"What do you two want?" Fred asked as they came in.

"Are you the reason we don't have any customers?" George asked. "It's really not nice of you. Who will buy all of our useless stuff?"

"Not to mention the useful stuff," Fred added.

"Oh yes, that too."

"We're looking for James," Harry said quickly.

"He wasn't allowed, was he?"

"He snuck out and I need to find him before a death eater does."

"Haven't seen him," Fred said. "I don't think he'd be stupid enough to come here."

Harry sighed and left the store again. Where could he be? They had checked every store. The only place left was the Shrieking Shack… I doubt he's there. Maybe he's still in the basement of Honeydukes. Ron came back out and joined Harry, and they turned and headed back, when there was a scream.

People were fleeing into stores. A group of hooded figures had come out of nowhere. They walked in a group with something in the middle. Harry ran after them.

The group began running quickly. Where are they going? he wondered. The apparation area, of course. There was one spot where you could apparate to and from in Hogsmeade, and it was at the end of the main road. That's where they're going

One of the death eaters turned and saw Harry coming after them. That made them move faster, and broke up the group a bit. Harry got a glimpse of what was in the center. It was a person….

Harry felt the bottom of his stomach fall out. James…

James saw him as well. "Dad!" he screamed, his voice cracking. His eyes looked scared, and he was thrashing around trying to get free, but they were holding him too tightly.

Harry ran faster. James managed to get his hand free and tried reaching for him. Harry pushed himself even more. He had never run that fast before. He was out of air, and his muscles were aching, but he kept going. Almost there….

"James."

"Dad!"

They disappeared.


	12. Going Home

Harry fell to the ground, gasping for breath. I wasn't fast enough… they got him… he felt like he might cry. Ron's hand was on his shoulder.

"Come on, mate. You have to get up."

"They took him…"

"Yes, they did."

"They took him…"

"You have to get up. There's no sense in staying on the ground."

"They took him…"

"Harry…"

Harry stood up slowly. He was quiet and still breathing deeply, looking at where the group of death eaters had just been. He turned to Ron. "Tell them to get the others back to the castle." Harry started walking away.

Ron stopped him. "Wait. Where're you going?"

"I have to tell Ginny. She should know…"

"Take it easy, mate. We'll find him. We always do."

Harry nodded and continued walking. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going until he realized that he was at McGonagall's office again. He pushed her office door open slowly.

They all looked up when he entered. The other girl, Katie, jumped up immediately. "Professor…"

Harry looked up at McGonagall. She nodded and went to Katie. Harry passed her up and went to Molly. "Come on Molly. We have to go."

"What happened?" Molly asked.

"We have to go home now." He led her into the fireplace. As they disappeared, Harry could see Katie falling onto the ground in tears.

Harry and Molly arrived into the kitchen a short time later. Ginny was at the table waiting for them. She stood up when they stepped out of the fireplace.

Molly went forward and hugged her mother. Ginny took her in, but kept her eyes on Harry. She could see that something was wrong. "Molly… take the rest of them upstairs."

Molly stepped back, looked at her parents, and then left. Ginny and Harry didn't move. She was waiting for him to talk.

Harry closed his eyes and dropped his head. "He went to Hogsmeade." If Ginny was upset about that, she didn't show it. She came to him and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back. "I tried, but…"

"Don't. It wasn't your fault."

"If I -"

"He's just as stubborn and stupid as any teenager ever was. He's thirteen and he thinks he knows everything about the world. You couldn't have stopped him."

"They shouldn't have let anyone go. Then he wouldn't have thought that -"

"Stop it. He wanted to go, and he went. Maybe this will teach him to listen to us every once in a while."

"You don't sound very upset about this."

"I never said I wasn't. The point is there's no use getting upset about something that's already happened. Unless you've got a time turner hidden somewhere, we can't go back to fix it. We have to move on and find a way to get him back."

"I don't even know where they could have taken him."

"We'll find him. Don't worry."

Suddenly the fireplace behind Harry went green. Hermione and Ron came running out of it. "We're here," said Hermione.

Harry must have looked confused. "Oh, come on. You don't think we'd let you have all the fun?" Ron said, putting his arm around Harry's shoulders.

"I'm glad you find this amusing," Harry mumbled.

"He's only joking Harry," Hermione said. "We're here to help."

"Good luck getting anywhere," said Harry, taking a seat at the table. "I don't even know where to start."

Ron sat down next to him. "Well, we'll have to think of every place they could be, and narrow it down until we find them."

"That would take too long."

"There is a large amount of research that shows that the brain functions better after it is well rested," Hermione said, raising her eyebrows at him.

"She's right." Ginny came to Harry and pulled Harry up. "Come on."

"What?"

"Come with me."

"I'm not tired."

"You are tired. You just don't realize it."

"Ginny, I'm too stressed to be tired right now."

"You'll sleep. I promise you will."

"Gin -"

"Don't make me stun you," Hermione said, holding her wand to his head.

Harry sighed. "Fine." Ginny walked with him. Harry sat on the bed, and Ginny handed him a cup. "What's this?"

"Water."

"Right…"

"Just drink it. Think I would poison you? There are much easier ways to kill you. I could leave a venomous tentacular in the bathroom, or accidentally leave a screaming mandrake outside, or..."

"Okay, okay." He took the cup from her and drank it. Right after he swallowed it, he could tell that it wasn't just water. "You're evil."

She pushed him back. "I know. You wouldn't really sleep without some help." She slid a pillow under his head. "Just sleep. We'll figure this out."


	13. The Potion

Notes: Sorry it's been taking so long. My website has been in trouble and I've had to concentrate on it for a while. I will have this finished before July, I swear.

* * *

Harry woke up some time later. It was dark. He got up and headed downstairs. A light was on in the kitchen, and someone was crying.

"It's alright," Ron was saying.

"I know," Ginny said between sobs. "I know it always works out. I – It's just hard."

"Yeah, it is."

"I was trying to be strong for Harry before, but I… Oh, I've never been this upset before. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"They took your child. You have a reason to be upset." He put his hand on her shoulder. "It will be okay. We'll find him. We've gotten out of worse situations than this, and came out relatively intact."

"I know." She straightened herself up a bit and whipped the tears from her face. "I shouldn't be so emotional. It will work out. I know it will."

Harry started walking back upstairs slowly. Well, no pressure at all then… Half way there, he changed his mind and went back to the kitchen. He went up to Ginny and pulled her up into his arms. She cried against his shoulder. Everything in his body hurt. It was bad enough that he had lost James. Now Ginny was extremely upset about it. "I'm sorry Ginny," he whispered to her.

"You couldn't have prevented this. Really, you couldn't. He would have found a way even if you had chained him to the floor." She reached around him and held him as well. She had stopped crying, and they were all quiet. "We will get him back, won't we?" Harry stared across the room and did not respond. Ginny pulled herself back a bit so that she could see his face. "Harry? I know what the answer is, but I want to hear you say it."

Harry kept staring and didn't answer. He knew what his answer would be, but she definitely did not want to hear it. She grabbed his face and pulled it around, forcing him to look at her. He closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to. "Don't do that," she said. "Don't act like that." She was getting upset again, probably thinking that if Harry didn't have any hope, then there was not much left. She pulled on his face again. "Harry!"

"I don't know!" he admitted, feeling like he might get just as emotional as she had. "I don't know… I don't know. I'm sorry, Ginny, but I don't know." She pulled him close, to give him the same support that he had just given her.

"We'll find him," Ron said, standing up from the table. "We will. And we'll find him before Bellatrix does anything to him."

"Where would we look?" Harry asked. "We can't run all around the country before we find him. Bellatix won't take that long to do whatever it is she wants to do."

"We won't have to run anywhere," Hermione said, stepping out of the darkness. She was carrying a stack of newspapers. "Bellatrix has been all over the news. We'll find something in here, so at least we'll have a heading." She set the stack on the table and sat down to begin reading.

"Good," Ron said, also sitting. "I'm not good at running." He looked up at Harry. "If we're going to be running anywhere, give me advanced notification."

"Shut up," Hermione mumbled. "It's not his fault that you're fat."

"Excuse me?" Ron said, giving Hermione a scrutinizing look.

"I had four kids. I have an excuse."

"And I have you. That's all the excuse I need."

"If you're going to argue, go outside," Ginny said, taking a seat as well. "We have enough angst in this house."

Harry was going to sit, when he thought of something. He had all of those memories upstairs. Maybe there was something there… "I'll be back."

James was pushed and dragged around. He was blindfolded, so he wasn't sure where he was. Then, they forced him into a chair. Someone removed the blindfold. He was in a dark room, tied to a chair around his wrists, waist, and ankles.

He could sense people around him. A woman came close to him. He had seen her in the papers… Bellatrix was her name…

"Hello," Bellatrix said, getting very close to his face. James pulled his head back. "Who would have guessed that someone like you would be so difficult to catch." James didn't say anything, but kept staring her in the eye. "But we did catch you, so it all ended okay."

"What do you want with me?" James asked.

Bellatrix moved back. She began tinkering with a large cauldron on the floor. "Have you ever heard of Lord Voldemort, boy?"

"Yeah. But, my dad killed him. He's dead."

She laughed. "No, no, stupid child. He is never dead."

"Yes, he is." James said fiercely. "My dad killed him years ago…"

"He had also, supposedly, killed the Dark Lord when he was only a baby, correct? But he came back, even when no one else thought he would."

"It's different this time."

"You're right, it is. Before we could use your pathetic excuse for a father to bring him back, but now we need something else."

James felt his heart pounding in his head. "You need me."

"I'm amazed. You're catching on. There are no spells to bring someone back from the dead -"

"But you just said he wasn't -"

"Silence, boy, or I'll kill you now. As I said, there are no spells that bring someone back from the dead. But, I developed a potion that can years ago, but haven't been able to use it. The only problem is it needs something from the enemy, something that is from them but not of them. I need offspring."

"So you've been after me."

"For your whole life, boy, and several years before it. You see, after what your father did to my Dark Lord, I wanted to kill him myself. But, then, I saw your poor whimpering mother cowering behind him -"

"My mother is not -"

"And I realized that it would only be a matter of time until I had what I need. I only needed one child, but since your parents wanted to act like rabbits, I have quite a selection now."

"You'll never touch a single one of them."

"I've touched you, haven't I? The others won't be nearly as difficult. But first I'll try you, since you are the largest and strongest. And if you don't make a good host, then I'll take another."

"Host?"

Bellatrix sighed. "Well, I need some body to put him in, don't I?"

James felt his insides get cold. She's going to take me out of my body? Is that possible?

Bellatrix began making the potion. James hoped that someone was on the way.


	14. Finding Him

Note: Sorry! Internet trouble!

* * *

"Here's something," Hermione said, laying the paper she had onto the table. "Bellatrix and her supposed potion that she wants to use to bring the Dark Lord back from the dead. Doesn't say anything more about it though."

"I heard about that," Ron said.

"Do you think they're trying to get at Harry?" Ginny said, looking up from her paper. "They used me twice. They used Sirius. They could be using James."

"Or they just want James," Hermione pointed out.

"I hope it's the first one," Ginny said quietly. "I'd much rather have Harry up against Bellatrix than James. He's only in his third year. There's no way he could protect himself."

"If we figure this out, we'll all be against her," Ron said.

Harry came into the room quickly. He had been gone for some time. "I figured it out."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Why they wanted him." He came to the table and sat down quickly. "They can't use me again - to bring Voldemort back, I mean – because it doesn't work the same way. There's a big difference between being almost dead and dead. But they still need something from me."

"They need a child," Hermione mumbled.

"Yes," Harry said. "And James was just the easiest to get at."

"If that's right then we might already be too late," Ginny said quietly. "No, wait…" Her voice got louder. "Potions like that would take a long time to make."

"She could have already made it," Ron said.

"No, no. It would go bad. I remember learning about this somewhere."

"Volatile potions," Hermione said. "They are only good for a certain time and then lose their power. Yes, but, how would we know if what she is making is a volatile potion?"

"There's a good chance that it is. She invented it in a hurry, she needs it quickly, it will have to act quickly to effectively bring him back… it has to be. It would take a long time to make, and then she would have to use it right away, so she would need the victim in advance."

"Then we might have more time," Ron said.

"Yes, some, but not much."

"We need to find them," Harry said, looking at the mess of papers on the table.

"Nothing so far," Hermione said. "They're covering their tracks well."

"We should ask the Order, in case they've seen anything."

"We'll have to wait until morning for that," Ron said. "We're usually the only ones that are up this early."

The sun was starting to come up. Harry stood up. "I have an idea."

* * *

"What the hell do you want?"

Harry stood in a back alley of Diagon Alley while a very tall man with dark hair approached him. "I need your help."

He knew this man from back in his school days. Although he looked like no one Harry had ever seen before, Harry knew it was him. The man's name was Mark, but his real name was Draco.

"Why should I help you? You helped me once, I helped you, we're square. I have no reason to help you with anything."

Draco had faked his own death shortly after Harry had finished Voldemort, to protect himself from death eaters. He had taken the alias of "Mark" ever since.

"Bellatrix took my son."

"Why does that concern me?"

"She's your aunt."

"So?"

"So, maybe you've heard something."

"No, I haven't."

"Nothing?"

Mark sighed. "I've spent the last fifteen years running away from people like her. Why would I know or care where she is?"

"Doesn't she know that you're dead?"

"Probably, but if she finds out I'm not, she'll kill me. I helped take down her Dark Lord, I got her sister killed… she will murder me. She'll rip out my heart with her teeth. I have two children. I can't afford to get into that." He started to walk away.

"She's trying to bring Voldemort back," Harry mumbled softly, so that no one who might be listening would hear.

Mark stopped and turned. "What? No, it's impossible."

"She's trying, and she's using my son. She took him yesterday. I need help finding her."

"Get your precious order of the whatever to help you."

"By the time they do anything it will be to late. I need to act now. Look, if you help me find him, I'll owe you. I'll do whatever you want. I just want to find my son."

Mark stared at him for a minute, and then sighed, walking back to Harry. "Last time I heard, she was hanging around the old Slytherin house. I don't know if that's where she is now."

Harry suddenly felt better. She was there, he knew it. He began walking away. "I owe you for that."

"Don't worry about it. Just – stay the hell away from me, okay? You're going to get me killed."

"Think of it as revenge for all those times you tortured me."


	15. The Old Slytherin House

James was forced to sit in the chair all day. He didn't dare fall asleep. Bellatrix was slowly making the potion. There were other people who came and went, none of which James had ever seen before. It was extremely hot in the room. He was becoming increasingly hungry and thirsty. He leaned back a bit and moaned softly, trying very hard to keep himself awake.

Bellatrix looked up suddenly. "You," she said, pointing to some other death eater. "Get the boy something to eat."

"Why bother?"

"If he starves to death then he won't be much use to us, now will he?" she snapped. The other death eater moved quickly. He poofed a sandwich onto James' lap. James had to bend over to get to it. He just barely managed to grab it with his teeth. The death eaters laughed at him. James eyed them angrily. He sat back up and spit out what he had in his mouth. Bellatrix turned around quickly.

"I'd rather starve than be of any help to you," James said to her.

"Fine then, have it your way." Bellatrix went back to her potion.

James leaned forward and let himself sort of hang from the ropes around his middle. Why hadn't he listened for once? Dad knows a lot about these things. You should have just listened to him. Now you're stuck here and can't get yourself out. All you've proven is that you are irrational, irresponsible, and utterly unable to take care of yourself. What's worse – when mum finds out you'll be scrubbing dishes without magic for a century.

But they'll be coming for me, won't they? They might be mad that I disobeyed them, but they wouldn't let me die…or whatever she plans on doing... right? No, they won't. Dad will be here, and he'll bring lots of other aurors to help. How will he find me, though? A signal, I need a signal. I don't have my wand… and I can't move with all of them looking at me…

The potion suddenly turned green and bubbled up huge smoke bubbles. Bellartix looked very excited. James leaned back against the chair again. Please be coming… please be on your way…

* * *

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny snuck up on the Slytherin house.

"This is it?" Ginny asked.

"Yep," Harry said, trying to keep his voice very low. There were two death eaters outside the door. Through one of the windows they could see shadows of several others. "We have to get them away from the door. If they alert Bellatrix, she could take him and leave before we ever get inside."

"We need a diversion," Hermione mumbled. She looked around for a second. "Come with me, Gin."

Ginny nodded and looked at Harry for a second. "Bring my baby back to me," she said to him. The two of them began scurrying off toward the back of the house.

"What're you doing?" Ron asked

"Go with Harry," Hermione hissed. They continued on, and eventually Harry lost sight of them. Suddenly there were different colored sparks flying everywhere behind the house. The death eaters inside, including the ones in the front, ran around to check on it.

Hermione and Ginny were pulling them away from the house. Ron looked upset – the two women he cared about most (other than his mother, of course) were over there fighting alone against all of those death eaters. Harry got up quickly and pulled Ron's arm. "Come on."

They ran to the door and peeked inside. James had been strapped to a table. Bellatrix was on the other side of that table, and another shadow was in the darkness. She was saying something that sounded a lot like a spell. Ron nodded to Harry, looking at him as if to say 'I'm ready whenever you are'. Harry nodded back.

* * *

That night, James had nearly fallen asleep on the chair when he was violently shaken. They were untying him from the chair. Between himself and Bellatrix's cauldron was a long metal table, the kind you sometimes see in hospitals. Two death eaters pulled him from the chair and threw him onto the table, strapping his arms and legs down.

James wished very much that he could fight back. It had been nearly three days since he had been strapped to the chair. By now he was extremely hungry, thirsty, and tired. He wouldn't have had the energy to sit himself up, even if he tried very hard. Maybe they want it this way, he thought, so that I can't fight back.

The other death eaters left James and Bellatrix alone. One other was in the shadows, but he wasn't doing anything. Bellatrix stood over him. "Well, here we are boy," Bellatrix said to him. "Enjoy your last few minutes as yourself. Soon you will cease to exist."

She stepped back and stood there as if she were waiting for something. James looked around as best as he could. The only ones in the room were James, Bellatrix, the bubbling cauldron, and whoever that shadow was. Who else does she need?

Suddenly the door to the room they were in creaked open a bit, not wide enough for a person, but maybe for an animal. Bellatrix got excited. James couldn't see what had entered – it was too low to the ground. His mind went over every animal he could think of.

They saved him the trouble of guessing. A huge snake, the biggest one he had ever seen, suddenly came onto the table with him and stood itself up, hissing and showing James its huge fangs. Bellatrix was more excited than ever. "Yes! Yes Nagini! Inject him with your poison to chase that soul out of there, so that I can put a better one inside!"

The snake seemed to understand what it had to do. It gave one last look at James, and then sank its fangs into his right calf muscle. James moaned in pain. Bellatrix laughed. Once the snake was done, it slithered back off of the table. James felt the puncture site get cold. The cold soon spread to his whole leg, then down his left leg, and began working up his torso. He tried to fight it, but he was too weak. It was getting hard for him to breathe and his head was already swimming. James closed his eyes to try to get back control of himself.

Unexpectedly there was a lot of commotion in the room. James tried to open his eyes, but his vision was too blurry to see anything. He tried listening instead.

"You're too late!" Bellatrix was shrieking. "It's already done!"

There were some other voices in the room, but James couldn't really hear them. Someone touched his face. He tried to see who they were. It looked like his aunt. "Come on, James. We have to get you out of here." She whispered to him. "I know it's hard. We'll make you better once you're out of here."

She picked him up off of the table. Another set of arms grabbed the opposite side of him. "It's okay, baby, don't worry. Just keep breathing." It sounded like his mother. James felt a lot better about this situation.

They took him outside and set him on the ground. The cold was now all the way up to his neck. Then he felt it going away. Warmth spread from his chest down through his legs. He took in several deep breaths. His mother pulled him up into her arms. "You're okay. It's all over now."


	16. Escape

Harry and Ron had burst into the room just as the snake left James. Ron went forward and pushed Bellatrix back. Harry went to his son and began untying him from the table. James' skin had already gone very cold. Harry knew exactly what was going on, but wasn't sure how to stop it.

"Go, we'll get him," he heard. Hermione and Ginny had appeared behind him. He nodded and left them with James.

"You're too late!" Bellatrix was saying. "It's already done!"

Harry knocked the cauldron over as he walked past. "No, it isn't." A purple-ish potion came out and began melting the floor it fell on. Bellatrix screamed.

"You will not stop the dark lord again!" Bellatrix shrieked.

"Oh, yes, I think I will," Harry said, moving her into a corner. Ron had gone to deal with the other shadow in the corner. "I am getting so bored with fighting him all the time. Why don't you people find someone else to blindly follow?"

"The dark lord is never dead! He will always return!"

"Not as long as I'm around."

The potion on the ground bubbled up again. It began breaking the floor boards. Harry turned to look. Bellatrix hit him with some spell, sending him flying across the room. Before he could get back up, she had apparated. Harry swore at himself for being so stupid and got up.

The potion was destroying everything. It was going to make the whole house collapse. "Ron, we have to go."

"Give me a minute. I'm catching up with an old friend." Harry went over to see what he was talking about. Ron was standing with one foot on top of Peter Pettigrew's neck, his wand pointed at his head.

"Oh, okay then. Never mind."

"I would like to kill him, but the trouble I'd get into… Hermione would never let me live it down. She still nags me about when we drove the car into the willow."

"Plus it would be messy."

"Yeah, that too."

"Just petrify him or something and let's go. Let the ministry clean it up."

Ron was still looking down at Peter. "You know, I've heard Azkaban is so much fun. I remember how fond you were of it last time we were in this situation. You're lucky I've got Harry here to talk me out of it. I'm not anywhere near as nice as he was."

Pettigrew wasn't saying anything. Not that he could have anyway, with Ron's foot on his windpipe. "Ron, really, we need to get away from this potion."

"Alright, alright," Ron said. He stunned Peter and left him there. "Let's go."

The walls of the house began to shake. It was going to come down. Harry pointed to a door in the back of the house. "Run!"

* * *

James was lying on the ground still. He guessed that his dad and uncle were in there fighting Bellatrix. There wasn't any noise or lights. How long could it take? 

Then, without any warning, the house collapsed. James heard himself screaming. He tried to get up but his mother held him down. "No, James, no…"

"We can't just sit here! They might need help!"

"It collapsed because of that potion. It's not safe."

"We have to help them!"

"No. It will be okay." She held him tightly and stroked his head a bit.

James couldn't help being anxious. After it fell, nothing moved for a long time. He looked around for any sign of life. He wanted to shout out, to see if they would respond.

Hermione got up and went closer to the ruined house. She stood there for a minute, also looking. Nothing moved. She came back to them and shot something into the air. "The ministry will be here to clean this up. I just wish they'd hurry." James knew that she wasn't the only one who wished that.

There was some movement in the trees behind the house. Two figures appeared. They were limping and holding onto each other. Hermione walked straight up to them and slapped the one in the face.

"Don't you _ever_ scare me like that again!"

"Nice to see you too," the slapped figure mumbled back. She grabbed him into her arms tightly.

Harry came limping to Ginny and James. He fell onto the other side of Ginny. She leaned back a bit and held him with her other arm. He leaned against her with his eyes closed, obviously very tired.

"Dad, I -"

"Don't. If you plan on getting yourself killed again, just let us know in advance, okay?"

"But that takes the fun out of it," Ginny said, smiling at them.


	17. And one last chapter :

Every single member of the Order and family member had shown up at Grimmauld Place. They wanted to know exactly what had happened. Harry had told the story about a million times. Tonks, Lupin, and Moody had shown up late, so he had to go through it yet again. They went into the living room, as everyone else was in the kitchen.

"So, she escaped," Moody grumbled. "You have got to learn to keep your eyes on your target."

"Well, at least nothing bad happened," Tonks said. "Everyone came back okay."

"We found Peter," Lupin pointed out. "That's a good thing. Although I don't think I would have objected to Ron killing him."

"Azkaban is much better," Harry said. "He doesn't deserve to die. He made others suffer; it's time he's suffered as well." Lupin and Tonks nodded. Moody got up and left the room.

"Are you feeding all of these people?" Tonks wondered.

"I guess so," Harry mumbled. He doubted it, though. Ginny wasn't fond of cooking for her own family, let alone all of these people. As if she knew that he was thinking about her, Ginny came into the room and plopped herself down next to Harry. "What's going on out there?"

"We have a guest chief," Ginny said brightly. "Mum." She looked extremely relieved.

A little black cat suddenly jumped onto the couch they were on. It rubbed itself against Ginny's head. "What's that?" Harry asked her.

"That is a cat," Tonks said.

"I got Lily a cat," Ginny confessed.

"Why?"

"She wanted one."

"What?" they heard from behind them. James had entered the room. "I've wanted a dog for five years!"

"There's a big difference between a dog and a cat," Ginny said as if everyone knew that.

"She doesn't like you as much," Harry joked.

"Harry!"

"Well, it's true -"

"It is not. I love all of my babies equally - even the really annoying one with the scar on his head." She pushed Harry a bit and got up. "I should go help mum."

"That's why I came," James said. "She told me to come find you."

"Damn," Ginny muttered. The rest of them got up as well.

"Why doesn't she just use Dobby?" Harry wondered. "That's why we have him."

"She's never had a house elf before," Ginny said. "Dobby's not that good at cooking anyway."

They joined the rest of the group in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was shooing everyone out. "Out! Out, all of you! How am I supposed to cook with you all hovering over me? Out! Oh, not you, Harry, you can stay. It's your kitchen."

Harry was about to respond, when the door bell rang. The entire house suddenly became very quiet. Harry went to the door, pulling his wand out, just in case. Who could it be? Everyone was already there.

He peaked out of the peep hole in the door, and laughed, opening the door. "Give us all a heart attack, why don't you."

"It's not our fault that you're still obsessive compulsive about security." Fred and George came in the door.

"It's an invisible, unplottable, magically protected, secretly kept with a secret keeper that's been dead for years house. How safe can you get?" George said.

The noise in the house came back once everyone realized that it was okay. Some of the smaller children came running out. They loved the things that Fred and George brought from their shop. Hermione came out to see what all the commotion was, but turned around. She had given up on trying to make Fred and George behave around the kids. "Did you bring us something?" one of Bill's little girls asked.

"Of course we did. You're our favorite niece."

"What about me?" someone else asked.

"You're our other favorite."

"You two, get away from those children," Mrs. Weasley said, pointing a spoon at them. "We're about to eat, and we don't need kids with potentially dangerous toys at the table."

"Oh, come on mum. We would never give them something dangerous," Fred said.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Last time you had half of them bleeding everywhere from your nose-bleeding things."

"Yes, but this time all we brought are steak knives," Fred joked. "Not anywhere near as dangerous."

"Although you can't give up on the classics," George mumbled.

Mrs. Weasley began ushering everyone into the kitchen. There wasn't nearly enough room for everyone, so the kids were put in a separate room. Ginny came up behind her twin brothers. "You two, go in there with the kids."

"Why us?"

"Because you're kids too. Now get."

"If you like them so much, you should take them for a week," Ron said, agreeing with his sister.

"We only like them because they're not our kids and we can get rid of them when we get tired of them," George said.

"Ever notice that we never reproduced?" Fred asked. "Now you know why. We deal with enough of them every day in the shop. Besides, it's not our fault you all like each other so much."

Harry went away from the crowd to get some quiet. He walked to the door and was about to head up the stairs. "You know, I've always wondered -" Lupin had come out with him "How'd you get that portrait to shut up?" He was looking at the curtain that covered the picture of Sirius's mother.

"I didn't. She just stopped. Maybe she gave up." Harry sat on the stairs.

"It's tiring, isn't it?"

"What?"

Lupin leaned against the wall. "Kids who get into trouble."

"Oh, yeah. It is."

"Now you know how we all felt when we had to chase after you."

"But -" He was about to say that it was different, but changed his mind.

"Are you going back to the school?" Lupin asked.

"Probably not. At least, not as a teacher. I don't like it that much. The only reason I took it was for the money. McGonagall said that she found someone else."

"She didn't. She only said that so you would leave without feeling guilty about it. No one has wanted that job since – well, since what happened when you were there. The people who have been filling in were aurors with nothing better to do. I think everyone's gotten their confidence back about Hogwarts since you've been there."

Harry smiled. "I couldn't say that I don't like being there. It's… it's odd, going back as a professor. I told myself I wasn't going back there. But, I did."

"You know that, even if you're not there, the headmistress will still be asking you for help. It's kind of funny that she spent your school years punishing you three, and now she wants you all back."

"You could go back," Harry mumbled.

"Me? Oh, no. I'm far too old to go into that again."

"What are you two doing?" Tonks had come out into the hall. "Having a tea party on the stairs? Get in here and eat. Everyone's looking for you."

Harry got up and went for the kitchen. "You know what I've wondered?" he whispered to Lupin "Why she still wants to be called Tonks when she's not a Tonks anymore."

Lupin shrugged. "Whatever makes her happy." The two of them were pushed out of the way as Mrs. Weasley came flying from the kitchen behind Fred and George, beating them with a spatula. "Exploding bubble gum! How could you give them exploding bubble gum!"

Harry glanced at the room where the kids had been. The walls were now covered in pink goo. Ginny and Hermione came out, covered in pink, looking like they had been in a war. Ron came out of the kitchen but ducked back quickly before Hermione saw him burst out laughing. He was out of luck, though, because his sister had seen him. She grabbed a fistful of the gum and ran after him. Ron took it from her and threw it at Hermione. A gum battle erupted everywhere, with wads of pink flying all around. Harry tried to get out of it, but was hit in the side of the head by Ginny.

"You're not going anywhere," she said, shoving some of it into his face. By now Mrs. Weasley and the twins had come back.

"And you yell at us?" Fred said. The two of them joined in the war.

"I give up," Mrs. Weasley said. "No wonder these children are so badly behaved."

Most of the Order members started leaving, until all that was left were the twins, Ron and Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and all of their children. Bill and Fleur hearded their lot out – Bill took the gum out of their hair as they went through the door. There was still gum everywhere.

"See you at Christmas!" Fred shouted as he and George went for the fireplace.

"Oh no you don't." Ginny came up behind them and pulled their shirts so hard that they fell to the ground. "Clean up my house."

"You have a house elf."

"But he didn't explode gum all over my walls."

"Neither did we, technically. It was the kids who opened it. Make them clean it."

"Oh yeah, sure." She pulled out her wand and floated them, throwing them violently into the bubble gummed room. "Get on it."

Harry just watched. It was scary, really, how much she was like her mother. He went into the kitchen where his two friends were. Hermione was trying to pull gum from her hair but it wasn't working very well, even with magic. Harry sat down and put his head on the table.

"You know, when I told you I'd help you fight a war, I didn't know it would involve bubble gum," Ron said, pulling some from his arm. Harry laughed.

"You're not upset at all about Bellatrix getting away?" Hermione asked, very abruptly changing the subject.

"Not really." Harry said, sitting up straight. "If she was caught I'd be out of a job. The next time I see her I might just kill her and get it over with. That's really what I should have done a long time ago."

"She's not a threat anymore," Ron said. "Don't be worried."

"I'm not. She deserves it, for killing Sirius." He mumbled the last half of that.

Hermione looked up at the ceiling. "Maybe you could bring her here and chain her to the wall. That'd be more torture than any dementor."

"They're not that bad, are they?" Harry asked. He heard something glass break above him, followed by several pairs of feet running from the scene. "Don't answer that."

"That was probably one of mine. I'll lock them in the cellar when we get home," Hermione said.

James came into the room and looked at Harry like he wanted to ask him something. "What was that noise?" Harry asked him.

"Sirius did it."

"I did not!" came a scream from the stairs. "Why does everyone always blame me?"

"Because you're usually the culprit, dear," Ginny was saying to him.

"What is it?" Harry asked James.

"Well, um, I was wondering…if… if I could… invite someone over…" They usually weren't allowed to have friends visit, simply because the house was still the Order headquarters.

"Who?"

"Katie," he said quickly.

"Oh." Ron snickered a bit. Harry had to force himself not to laugh.

"What's all this?" Ginny asked, noticing the look on her son's face.

"James wants to invite a friend over," Harry explained. "A girlfriend."

James went red. "She's not -"

"Aw, that's so cute," Ginny said. "His first crush."

"She's not a -"

"What about a crush?" George said from the other room.

"She's not a crush, and she's not my girlfriend," James said angrily. "She's just a friend."

"Right," Harry said, still trying not to laugh.

James looked at Hermione. "She's always been your friend. You never had any interest in her."

"Well, yeah, but that's because Ron would have attacked me."

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione said together.

"Can't I want to have a friend over to meet my family? Is it a crime, is it?"

"Okay, calm down," Ginny said, petting her son's head. "We're just joking."

James was looking at Harry again, hopefully. "I think Katie is a sensible enough girl," Harry said. James smiled and looked significantly brighter. "But we'll have to go get her. She can't know where this house is, not as long as it is still a headquarters."

James ran off excitedly. Ginny came and sat on Harry, leaning against him. "It never stops, does it?"

"No." he put his arms around her. "No, it doesn't."

* * *

That's all kids. :)

Yep, that's the end of my last HP fanfiction. It will all be over in a few days. I'd like to thank everyone for reading and supporting my stories, making me feel special. :) And I'd like to thank JK for creating this awesome story for us. Without her I would never had been able to make such awesome fanfics. Thanks for giving us Harry. He's been my friend for over 7 years, and I've been so glad to have him.

So I'll stop my academy award speech, and just say thanks one more time to everyone out there! I really love you guys:)


End file.
